Monday, October 01, 2007

Monday Train/Diva Love

Romance Divas Anniversary Essay Contest Oct 1st-Nov 1st
My entry- It's very easy to give love to such a great community. :)


It was an accident.

One of those random searches for information that leads you somewhere, a place you didn’t even know existed. I had written this story. Written The End for the first time in my life and I wanted to submit it. But I had no idea how to write a synopsis, a query, an email. None of it. So I searched.

I found articles by Kristen Painter and Gina Welborn on some site called Romance Divas. They were clever and informative. And they had a forum! Surely there would be someone who knew more than I did. Not that it would have been hard. So I joined.

How do I describe the year that’s followed? How stumbling on this site has changed my world so drastically? And yet, it has. I had written a story, but the divas helped to make me a writer.

I am loathe to admit all I didn’t know when I decided to chuck it all and follow my dream. I joined the RWA, learned about head hopping, got a blog and a website. All with the information and patient help offered on the forum.

And the people. Diva Sienna helped me with my very first questions about submitting. Diva Cia showed a welcome, open kindness that I have rarely witnessed before or since. Diva Sherice allowed me the joy of sharing the Christmas spirit with all by making me an honorary elf.

I’ve found kindred spirits, honest readers, two amazingly talented critique partners that I’m hoping will rub off on me—friends. Those kinds of friends you are lucky to count on one hand, the kind that you know you’ll have for the rest of your life.

There have been obstacles in my path, my own impatience and insecurity chief among them. I can’t fathom where I would have been if I didn’t have the support of this haven, this home.

Based on my previous life choices, I may have given up, allowed the doubting voice in my head to convince me to stop reaching for the stars and start filling out applications for a “real job”. Always wondering what could have been instead of creating my own path.

But I was blessed with a group of women, and a smattering of men, who wouldn’t let me falter. They were my cheering section, my whip wielders, the people who snapped me out of my self-sabotaging ways. And one short story and 4 book acceptances later, I know I will never be able to thank them enough.

It was an accident. If you believe in accidents. But I don’t. So all I can do is count my blessings or whatever good karma I had accrued that brought me there that fateful September day.


Maybe I would have gotten here eventually on my own. But success would not have been as sweet, my days as full of laughter and friendship, my continued growth as assured...if I hadn’t found my Divas.

Thank you.


16 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

That was a Beautiful Thing.

And I have just noticed that I now capitalize strange words just like Dayna, lol.*shrugs* I pick up accents when I am with people too. I suppose there are worse things than writing like Dayna, yes?

But back to your essay. It was fantastic.

1:10 AM  
Blogger Jennifer McKenzie said...

Hey Gwen, we're gonna get you that t-shirt that says "I Write Weird Like Dayna Hart". LOL.

And RG, it couldn't have been an accident. I can't imagine Divas without you.

7:00 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Wonderful essay!! I've only been a member of RD for less than a year, but I've learned so much from the community. :)

7:50 AM  
Blogger R.G. ALEXANDER said...

Gwen-Thanks-and yeah-I wish I wrote like Dayna LOL
Jen-ditto
Christine-thanks-it was my one year anniversary in September-and I've learned SO much.

9:45 AM  
Blogger Diana Castilleja said...

I can absolutely understand your thoughts R.G. All I can say is ...Me too!

9:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow - I haven't read anyone elses essays, but you win! LOL That was great. We're so happy you found RD too, so we could get to know what a great person you are. I've been a member now for 2 1/2 plus years if you count before the crash (they had to change forums after that).

11:01 AM  
Blogger Karen Erickson said...

Aw that was so sweet! I feel the same way - I stumbled upon it thanks to Diva Jenna and now I can't really imagine life without the Divas! Such a great support group. I've been with them for almost two years and by far they are the most informative forum out there on romance writing.

Beautifully written, RG!!!!

11:29 AM  
Blogger R.G. ALEXANDER said...

Diana-you had a great post as well

MG-thank you so much

Sticky Bun-I agree-they are the best. :)

11:36 AM  
Blogger Shelli Stevens said...

Okay I must be missing something. There's a contest for Divas? :) I haven't been on the forum much.

Divas is great! Good essay.

12:42 PM  
Blogger Crystal Jordan said...

Awww...we lurv you, too, RG!

3:07 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Aww, these essays are like a cup of warm fuzzies...*where the hell are Diana's tissues?*

9:22 AM  
Blogger R.G. ALEXANDER said...

Shelli-thanks and yeah-you have to join.

Crystal- :)

Jodi-isnt it a great anniversary idea? October could be one long coffee commercial...sniff...LOL

9:28 AM  
Blogger Bethanne said...

Oh, *sniff* what's wrong with me?! That was wonderful. I remember when I first joined and finally made it into the chatroom. I remember thinking, who's RQ? LOL

what a great testament.

11:07 AM  
Blogger Debbie Mumford said...

Amen!

Beautifully stated, RG.

10:30 PM  
Blogger Jane E. Jones said...

Wow...what a wonderful post!

11:23 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I can't imagine my life without the divas. Beautiful essay!

11:43 PM  

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