I’m a big John Grisham fan and when I read about 25 of his novels I thought, wow, I can do that?  Oh yeah?  Six long years later I finally finished my first comedy/mystery novel, COUNTERFEIT LOTTERY, learned a little bit about structure and got myself published  by a pretty good publisher, Timberlake Press.  My first book, ACT IT OUT, is a bestselling non-fiction book for adults sexually, physically and emotionally abused as children and it was published by New Harbinger Publications, Inc., in Oakland in 2002 then lasted nine long years in their catalogue.  When it had gone about as far as it could there, Praeclarus Press picked it up for a second edition and a YouTube presentation.  So writing is my life (along with my glorious husband) as well as private practice as a clinical and forensic psychologist.

In fact, the two professions go hand-in-hand and I would suggest to anyone going into the arts that they have a strong work profession first so that the many rejections and twists and turns artists get along the way won’t discourage them too much.  It’s always comforting to know you have something to fall back on.

Rejection, depression, hopelessness really get in the way of creativity, but I noticed when I actually sat down to write (even this little blog) I was energized and all kinds of thoughts and shares came to me.  It’s important to DO the action first, then the feelings and enlightenment will come.  Kind of like a particular way of acting.  Some like Lee Strasberg’s inner feelings first way of working, but others like Michael Chekov where you do the action and the feelings automatically come.  Hit a pillow hard for multiple times, and suddenly you’re furious.  Same thing here.  Start writing and suddenly you have lots of things to say.