Girl on Fire: Writing might be in the stars

[As seen in Creston News Advertiser, June 18, 2015]

One of my favorite things to do with my coworkers is talk about books and movies. We have such varying degrees of respect for different genres that sometimes it makes for interesting conversation hearing what two opposite-thinkers think about one bit of entertainment.

I’ve lent books to my coworkers before, thanks to my spare bedroom so full of books I’ve started decorating other rooms in the house with them by color, and love hearing what they think of the writing or story lines. If I got paid to sit and read novels all day and discuss them with others, I would jump on that opportunity like a cat on a field mouse (which, to my horror, Pawter decided to do last week).

A friend of mine, Kate Padilla, who works at the Spencer Daily Reporter in Spencer, recently came out with a book of short stories called “Save Me, San Francisco.” While I unfortunately have not had the chance to read it, I know it will be as interesting and well-versed as Kate is.

I’ve found it rather interesting how many people I know have considered a career in writing. Everyone in the newsroom at the Creston paper writes for a living, so you have journalism. But, I’ve got several friends who have written short story anthologies, or have even gone on to write novels (though, I don’t believe any have been published yet).

I can’t imagine how difficult it can be publishing a novel, at least compared to publishing a few news stories every week for a local paper. I haven’t discussed the process with any of my friends, but I can only imagine how weary it can be sending manuscripts to publishing houses just to receive a single sheet of paper spelling out a rejection.

Then, I think of the many books decorating my humble abode and wonder how those authors managed to convince a publisher to print the pages of their life’s work.

Really, it sounds like a whirlwind of a journey, and hopefully it is something some of us here at the Creston News Advertiser continue with if it’s in our stars to do so.