Holding On To Hope

There is a similar thread I have noticed in the newsletters received lately from some of the other authors I follow. It appears a lot of us creative types are struggling to connect to our muse, the spark of inspiration that keeps us focused on our art. Something else I have noticed in these newsletters is a common denominator, and it’s called fear.

Though the lack of inspiration and the struggle to connect to our creative voice can be brought on for many different reasons, I believe our current squelched creativity is a direct result from what is happening outside of our personal lives. Regardless of where you stand regarding the current political events, you have to admit, things are strange and uncomfortable right now, sometimes downright scary.

If I watch even five minutes of the news, I will walk away feeling confused, heavy-hearted, knowing there is no logic in the world. It appears everything we learned in kindergarten, the basics of being a good human and how to coexist in society with people who differ from us, has all been forgotten. It is blatantly obvious that some of our leaders never learned those attributes. Even if we tune out the politic unrest in our country and in our world, it still affects us.

When the outside world feels like it is sinking into quicksand, and all we can do is watch, how do I find the hope and creativity required to write a fantasy story? How do I promote and market my books as if everything is normal?

Believe me, it has been a struggle. That is why this is the first newsletter I have written this year. My creative inner voice has been a fleeting whisper, a willow-o’-the-wisp who rarely stays long these days. Nothing will kill the creative muse faster than fear and uncertainty.

Fortunately, I have found strength from these other authors who I mentioned at the beginning. Though many of us are feeling the same confusion, the same struggles to hear our creative voice, there is another common denominator we share, and it is called determination. It is the determination to keep showing up day after day, to continue placing one foot in front of the other toward our goals. Each of us has our own path in our writing careers, and when we share our struggles with one another, that is what connects us. It is what gives me hope and strength during the times I feel alone and helpless.

Hanging out with uplifting people, embracing every little seed of joy, and tuning out the insanity, can make a big difference. Those little snippets of life where everything feels okay for the moment is what I cling to. It is where hope still lives.

“Hope springs eternal” is a line from Alexander Pope’s poem – ‘An Essay on Man’. It literally means that people can always find a reason to hope, even in the bleakest situations.
“Hope is being able to see that there is light, despite all of the darkness.” Martin Luther King.
“Hope and fear cannot occupy the same space. Invite one to stay.” Maya Angelou.
Staying in the place of hope may feel like a constant challenge these days, but I find that taking action in the face of fear is what helps me hold onto hope.

Author Tiffany Yates Martin wrote in her latest newsletter: “Hope without action is like a fully fueled Ferrari that sits in your garage, never getting out on the road.” (You can read Tiffany’s post here: Hope and action)

Well, Tiffany, this year I have taken my Ferrari (Hope) out of the garage and onto the road. In doing so, I have had many of those wonderful little snippets of joy. Many of those moments have been gifted to me by fans of MARK OF THE FAERIE, readers who have shared with me their love of Isaboe’s story as much as I did writing it.

If we still believe in the healing magic of love, then hope is still alive. We all have our own baggage and our own fears, but when we share our joy with each other, even with people we have only just met, that is where hope lives and thrives. Just like fear and hatred can be contagious, so can hope and joy.  I’m choosing the latter.
So, in the promise of better things to come, let’s spread some hope, sprinkle a few seeds of joy. Let’s take our Ferrari out of the garage on a road trip and discover some inspiration for a better future.

                                               Speaking of future, these are my upcoming events:
                                                           June 27th through June 29th                                                                                                                                The Mystic Realms Fantasy Fair in Pocatello, Idaho                                                                                                https://mysticrealmsfantas.wixsite.com/mysticrealmsfair

                                                                July 19th & 20th                                                                                                                                          Washington Midsummer Renaissance Fair in Snohomish, Washington
                                                           https://washingtonfaire.com/