So, I was out walking Ginger, trying to decide what to write for this month's post, when my (brave or stupid -- you decide) dog nearly gave me a heart attack. We were coming back through the meadow when Ginger took off like a bat out of hell. I was thinking squirrel, since she routinely chases them up the nearest tree. No, such luck. Good old Wile E. was high-tailing it toward the woods with my brainless mutt in hot pursuit. Of course I had to chase both of them even thought I couldn't possibly catch up, screaming my head off. Yeah, funny. I hope you at least got a smile out of the mental picture. Believe me, this isn't the first time we've enacted this scene. I doubt it'll be the last since coyotes are thick around here.
But, it gets better. A couple of days ago, my husband came back from a walk and said Ginger had chased a bear. Until the bear stopped. Apparently she had enough sense to stop, too...and have a stare-off...before Pat's yelling finally sunk into her thick head and she retreated. Probably the same bear we met on the field at the rec center across the street one morning about a month ago. The bear was minding it's own business when Ginger ran up to within five feet of it. No barking or growling from either party. They just stared at each other. I was the only one making any noise as I begged my mentally challenged mongrel to "Come here this minute!" (Are you seeing a trend here?) She ignored me, of course. When the bear moved another five feet away, I sucked up my (courage or stupidity -- you decide) and ran up to Ginger to drag her away. After I got home, my husband pointed out the bear could have killed me, too. Uh, you think?
So, I'm not sure who's a bigger idiot, me or Ginger. You decide. I know who's braver. LOL I was trying to relate these experiences to writing, and I recalled seeing a post on Facebook not long ago from an author who'd published her first book and had decided to quit her job so she could spend more time writing. All the comments were congratulations, but all I could think was, "You, poor, deluded fool. I hope you don't need the money." Is this woman's optimism an example of Ginger-chasing-a-coyote-or-bear stupidity? Or bravery? I think we all make choices in our writing careers that take (bravery or stupidity). Many of us left the safety of a small press where acceptance was pretty much a given after a few books to pursue either self-publishing or big presses. It took guts to break out of that safety zone. In some instances, the move worked out. Sometimes, not so much. I had an agent, and I fired her. Maybe a smart move. Maybe not. The jury's still out on that one. I was shaking a little when I sent her the email. Almost as much as when I grabbed Ginger's collar right next to the bear who kept his eyes on me the whole time...
So, have you made any questionable calls in life or in your writing career? Feel free to share.
By the way, Every Move She Makes is still on sale for 99 cents until the end of the month. For that price, you definitely aren't making a risky purchase. Buy it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Or, visit my Website for info on my other books.
