Content.

I was talking to a friend today about where we are in life (not like, literally. Although we have been known to get lost, especially when we try to talk on the phone while driving...but figuratively). She said that for once in her life, she's happy where she is and not in a hurry to rush onto the next thing.

I thought about it and realized I know exactly how she feels. I love my family. I love my job. I love my friends. I love where I live. I, like my friend, am really content with life. I don't even know what to put on my Christmas list for people to buy me, because really, what do I need? Okay, that's not entirely true. I'll still take a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, Starbucks gift cards, CD's, books, and anything else they'll get me, but for the most part, I have everything I could possibly want.

This is such a nice realization for me because I've been writing seriously and really pursuing publication for...Eight-ish years now. And I know that time plays a HUGE role in this business and the people who get published are often the ones who were too stubborn to quit. And I'm not thinking about quitting, so that's not what this is about. But at the same time, it's nice to know that it's okay if I never do get published. (Haha, if you're an agent or editor reading this I'll still totally take a contract...) I would like to, but my life is wonderful as it is.

I think it's kind of like that line in Cool Runnings, which I haven't seen in years, but remember from my high school Chemistry class (wait--why DID we watch that in Chemistry? Ahhh, private school education...). If you're not enough with a gold medal, you'll never be enough without it. I remember at the time thinking that was a strange quote and that it made no sense whatsoever. I think it actually made me a little irritated.

But you know what? I get it now. And it's so true.

How about you? How are you finding yourself more contented than you have been in the past? Anything you need to work on being content with?

Genesis Contest!

All right all of you not-published-yet writers out there--have you looked into the Genesis Contest? Check it out on the American Christian Fiction Writer's website. You enter the first 15 pages of your wip (work in progress) and a one page synopsis and then get amazing feedback from judges and the chance to win!

Seriously. It's an awesome contest, so you can check it out.

On that note, I'll be MIA here for another couple days, I think, while I wrestle with this synopsis. You'd think a summary of a story would be easy, right? Yeah...not so much.

Wish me luck!

Stuff Writers Like

You'd think since this post is about writers and I like to consider myself one, I could at least think of a title that didn't have the word "stuff" in it. But nope. I'm still on vacation, and I refuse to think of a more descriptive word for a blog title.

This is probably going to seem random, but I'm so fascinated by the things (there I go with those awesome words again) writers seem to like, almost universally.

They usually like:

Pens

Paper

Computers

Those are obvious. They go along with w-r-i-t-i-n-g. Obvious, yes?

But the strange thing is that most writers I know also have an insane addiction/love for coffee. Black coffee. Flavored coffee. Lattes. Espresso. There are lots of different preferences. But interview ten random writers and I'm almost willing to promise you that 9 out of 10, as a minimum, will love coffee. I'm not talking tolerate. I'm talking love.

I also realized today that writers love Cary Grant. Ever noticed how many times he's referred to in books? I think it's because he's the epitome of a smooth, charismatic male hero. Or maybe just because his characters are so real. I'm not sure, but it's another thing writers love.

Anything else to add to this list? Writers? Readers? What do y'all think?