I'm learning to accept that I have so much going on all the time, I'm not going to stay ahead of everything. That's a personal choice, even if I don't carefully or consciously decide to keep things hopping. I'm lucky to live according to my own schedule--and some of the things I've put in that schedule have a lot more flexibility than others. This blog, for instance. Consequently, I'm not exactly steady about posting. But here are some more thoughts about writing.
During these hot summer days, I've been watering and weeding actual plants, not just everything growing in my imagination. And I can't help noticing how many analogies gardening has to give about writing. Yes, I know, it's a big cliche to compare writing and gardening. But bear with me; I promise not to be too terribly hackneyed.
When we moved to this house, the only things growing here were tumbleweeds. Some of them, known as "goat's heads," would grow into nightmarish tangles of very sharp thorns that easily worked their way into any skin they happened to touch. Then they'd break loose from their stalks and go bounding around on the wind, planting themselves far and wide. When sprouting, they looked kind of pretty--bright green, perky, fast-growing. But even when small, they had a sting.
I've learned to pull them up the instant they push their way out of the ground.
What does that have to do with writing? Well, I could get eloquent about caring for your imagination, giving it the equivalent of good soil, water, and sunshine. I won't go there, at least not today. But you see where I'm going, right? Part of taking care of flowering plants is making sure the goat's heads don't choke them out. And part of being able to write day after day is pulling up the doubts and fears that can become so thorny if allowed to grow big.
I'm thrilled to say that my fairy tale, Violet Wings, is now out in paperback. And I want you to know that to get Zaria's story written, I had to pull up more than a few inner goat's heads. So if you're struggling with your own version of thorny tumbleweeds blowing through your mind, all I can say is: Keep digging.
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Keep digging! You know it -- because the results are amazing, but often so gradual you don't even know how much your hard work is paying off. Sometime you have to take that big step back and look at the yard and remember when it was just tumbleweeds and goat's head.
So true, Trai! Taking time to notice the transformations, big and little, makes quite a difference.
Greetings to you Victoria..I so love your books..I finished your book Healer's Keep and now reading The seer and the sword(i should have read it first before Healer's keep though..)Thanks to your books Victoria..Please keep writing..
Hi Victoria!
your books are just awesome!!
i look forward to your next book, indigo bottle! i found all of your books a page turner and just finished reading all the novels you had written =D Gambatte!
I love your book the violet wings. IT WA AMAZING! are you going to make a sequal because i really want you to. that was a great book and i think you are doing great job
This was an amazing book! I read it three times in a row. I hope there is a sequel. If so is there any idea as to when it will come out?
Hii Victoria Hanley,
I just wanted to know if you are going to write a sequel to Violet Wings??
I am sure all of your fans would love to hear what happens to Zaria and the gang.
Hey there, kind people who left comments... eek, I can't believe it's been months since I checked in. And yes, I've written a sequel for Violet Wings, called Indigo Bottle. I don't know when/if it will be published, however; the decision by my publisher will be based on sales for Violet wings. (Alas, the name of the game in publishing!)
If you know you can't publish it will you pls put it on your website as a ebook???? Plz plz plz!!!!!!!
Are you working on your sequel? It's been about two years since Violet Wings released.
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