The sun was shinning today in Melbourne. It’s such a beautiful city to walk around, even when lugging my laptop. I couldn’t bring myself to get the tram up Swanston Street to the Library. The trams are fun but when the sun is shining and the people are smiling, walking is the perfect way to travel.
I wandered around the outside of the library, what a beautiful building! Then inside I sat and wrote a couple of thousand words of book two. Jodie my Aussie girl has just arrived in Kakadu and all my memories of that wonderful National Park come flooding back. I sit on the chair wiggling my legs typing away frantically. Smiling away, letting the words take over.
I wanted to go into the city to start treating this writing as a job instead of a hobby or a passion. All week I have been told just keep doing what you are doing. Book two is flowing so I am in a great place. But where is my book deal? Why hasn’t the phone rang, my email bleeped?
‘This is business, be patient’,says a friend.
‘They will be reading your manuscript, don’t worry. It takes a lot of time to read a manuscript properly’ says another friend.
The city was alive and helped keep my fire burning. Maybe someone here is reading my first book, I hope so. Sitting on a bench outside the library the hot sun beating down on my face, the wind then immediately cooling as it whistled along Longsdale Street. I realised how lucky I am to be doing what I love, I have found something that makes me happy. I’m learning every day and one day I will reach the summit, right now I’m at base camp and I’m so excited to be starting this literary hike.
When I get home from the city that Arctic wind has been at it again and my last money plant has smashed into pieces by the front door. I put them there to bring us luck more than wealth. I’m slightly addicted to symbolism. Through the bumpy times I would nurture them hoping our luck would change. Through the good times a reminder to ourselves to be lucky.
‘Did you see the pot plant has smashed’
‘Oh yeah’ I say, strangely I’m not really bothered. Last year I would have been devastated. I would worry that our luck has run out. Now I’m much more in charge of my own destiny. Of course I will need pointers along the way. I will leave a trail of breadcrumbs of some description in case I get lost, with my sense of direction it’s bound to happen! But right now I’m heading in the right direction on this yellow brick road of happiness. If I just keep going who knows I might reach the summit one day!
My book Sharks & Lovers is available to download here: