Mummy the Romance Writer
September 13th 2006 07:45
I’ve been writing my whole life, it feels like. At least since I was about eight.
A couple of books under my belt, three stories published in magazines, and I’m still here – my actual books unpublished.
But that’s okay, I tell myself. It’ll happen one day.
In the meantime, I juggle Miss Toddler and my writing. I write romances, you see, which sometimes seems like a small miracle, inbetween all the daily ‘Mummy’ duties.
I try to cling to my tall, dark, handsome hero I created as I change yet another nappy. As I scrub the mountain of dishes piling up on the sink, I cling to that scene I was in the middle of, before I realized the plates were about to topple onto the kitchen floor if I didn’t clean them right this second - the scene where the hero and heroine were indulging in tequila shots before getting down and dirty.
I just get down and dirty with the dishes, and my mint-flavored dishwashing liquid (not that I've ever tasted it).
I come up with sexy dialogue while ‘Play School’ is on in the background – quite talented of me, really, with Big Ted and one of the presenters playing dress ups. Nothing sexy about that! At least, not in my view.
Yet I cling to the romance in my head, even if my life is lacking in said romance. Miss Toddler and I visit the library, once again (its what we do, its our day jobs), and as she tugs me along to the children’s section, I gaze longingly at all the books on the shelves, all the published books on the shelves, and feel incredible, overwhelming sadness that nobody’s read my book (apart from the friends and sister I email my work to and demand they read and critique and get back to me, all in one day), that my name’s not blaring from the cover, that no one’s perusing the blurb on the back of my book.
That no one's discovered my talent for romance writing.
Me, me, me. Its all about me.
Then I notice Miss Toddler is riffling through the kids books, searching madly, and saying, over and over, “Elmo, Elmo!” My heart just breaks at the adorable picture she presents, searching madly for an Elmo book to take home.
And I realize its not all about me, at all. Its all about her.
She’s my greatest gift, my greatest treasure, my greatest achievement. If it takes me forever to see my made-up romances come to print, I just have to remember the real-life romance of my husband and I that brought her into this world.
That’s all that matters.
A couple of books under my belt, three stories published in magazines, and I’m still here – my actual books unpublished.
But that’s okay, I tell myself. It’ll happen one day.
In the meantime, I juggle Miss Toddler and my writing. I write romances, you see, which sometimes seems like a small miracle, inbetween all the daily ‘Mummy’ duties.
I try to cling to my tall, dark, handsome hero I created as I change yet another nappy. As I scrub the mountain of dishes piling up on the sink, I cling to that scene I was in the middle of, before I realized the plates were about to topple onto the kitchen floor if I didn’t clean them right this second - the scene where the hero and heroine were indulging in tequila shots before getting down and dirty.
I just get down and dirty with the dishes, and my mint-flavored dishwashing liquid (not that I've ever tasted it).
I come up with sexy dialogue while ‘Play School’ is on in the background – quite talented of me, really, with Big Ted and one of the presenters playing dress ups. Nothing sexy about that! At least, not in my view.
Yet I cling to the romance in my head, even if my life is lacking in said romance. Miss Toddler and I visit the library, once again (its what we do, its our day jobs), and as she tugs me along to the children’s section, I gaze longingly at all the books on the shelves, all the published books on the shelves, and feel incredible, overwhelming sadness that nobody’s read my book (apart from the friends and sister I email my work to and demand they read and critique and get back to me, all in one day), that my name’s not blaring from the cover, that no one’s perusing the blurb on the back of my book.
That no one's discovered my talent for romance writing.
Me, me, me. Its all about me.
Then I notice Miss Toddler is riffling through the kids books, searching madly, and saying, over and over, “Elmo, Elmo!” My heart just breaks at the adorable picture she presents, searching madly for an Elmo book to take home.
And I realize its not all about me, at all. Its all about her.
She’s my greatest gift, my greatest treasure, my greatest achievement. If it takes me forever to see my made-up romances come to print, I just have to remember the real-life romance of my husband and I that brought her into this world.
That’s all that matters.
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Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
On a slightly different topic, you might consider writing short stories. Send one or two to a few thousand publishers and see what happens. I know that apparently if your looking into publishing your work, you need to have it read, and to do that you shouldn't submit the full length novel. A chapter or two, but with short stories, one or two, you provide a far more thorough showing of what you are capable of.
And if it all comes down to nothing, Miss Toddler might grow up to be a famous writer one day
Comment by Johanna
PCOS Mum
From one writer with a child to another I can appreciate your feelings. I work from home as a freelancer. Have you thought about writing something for Miss Toddler and getting that published?
Comment by Kerrianne
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
I haven't replied to anyone's comments before, since I'm new at blog writing, so I hope I'm doing it right! Tips would be good!
Yes, the novel I'm currently trying to sell is called 'Betrayal', and its a paranormal romantic suspense novel...full of mystery, who-dunnit, romance, sex, and, of course, ghosts!
The lead is an archaeologist, Kit, and the hero is Corky, the ghost-hunter...she buys his agency, much to his dislike, and the sparks fly, and there's a killer on the loose, and ghosts to catch, and her wedding to get to...
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Comment by KoreanLover
Comment by bumpkin
Surviving Rural Life
Living Rural
Comment by Kerrianne
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
Thanks for your support! Its lovely...I agree, so much of today is reality, its nice to have some things that are purely made up! And I love your idea...you've sparked something for me, with another novel...'Mummy the Romance Writer'...hmmm....
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
Thank you for your support, too! Yes, there is definately some funny scenes in my book...its really hard to define it into one genre, but romantic suspense is definately its main area, I think...
Comment by K.L. Almeroth
Motherhood
How funny is that, with your son and husband? But you've still achieved your poems being published...your whole family is published! That's a huge achievement, and its more than most people can say (er, like me), so you've got to be happy with that! Thanks for reading my post...
Comment by Little Angry Doll
Falling Haiku Leaf
Inner West Life