What if... I fail?

I struggled with what to write that would reach people in this time of such division. Some are hopeful, others cynical, and yet others still are angry. When I looked back over this post from one year ago, I knew if we could just put our swords down and be vulnerable about our fears instead of casting stones, we might just find we had common ground all along. This here was me being transparent about the fear of the unknown. Rest in knowing we are never without hope. In fact, we are in very good hands. <3

Whenever something is closely tied to your heart it has power over you. No matter how tight the threads of those big, beautiful dreams are woven in, they are still suspended over this vulnerable space where they cling with more fortitude than the delicate wisp should realistically have.

Despite the strength and determination behind them, dreams are fragile things. In most cases working towards the fulfillment, daunting and disheartening as it may be, is considerably less scary than reaching the summit. Once you're there it may look different than you imagined, or perhaps the view simply exposes how very far down you have to fall.

There's no going back. You're there. You've poured your heart and all those expectations out. You've bled and cried and stumbled and picked yourself back up for the uphill battle and then... you've made it. The point of no return where you will either lift off and soar to fulfilling those dreams or you'll struggle against the wind until you realize your wings don't quite cut it at that altitude. And then what?

It was so much safer on the ground, wasn't it? And even on the climb you still had your feet firmly on the ground, working your muscles at your own pace, taking a breather when you felt the strain.

Personally, I've always placed high expectations on myself. And each dream got my all, even when it eventually withered away and opened my heart to a new adventure. But right here, standing on the precipice of my very first book release, the excitement and anticipation are warring for the top seat, but there's also that worry that nips at their heels. And we all know that worry is just a prettied up name for the real culprit.

Fear.

Fear of failure. Fear of having to start again. Fear of seeing your dream plummet, taking all the hope and heart you invested back to the bottom to begin the arduous journey all over again.

Because let's face it, not all writers are going to become published authors. Not all published authors succeed. And even once successful authors can lose their clout. We can't all be the #1 Bestseller. And even the top dog will be knocked off his pedestal eventually, right?

Man, this is sounding pretty depressing, isn't it? Why dream at all? Why put yourself out there and risk the fall?

Ah, but you see, in the oddest way that is the beauty of it. The mystery. Nothing worth having comes easy. And very often the struggle makes the reward that much sweeter. Your "what if"... would be one of regret. Of never knowing because you never tried.

So to keep things in perspective I want to ask you this... What does failure look like to you? Or better yet... What is your measure of success? Because until you decide what it is you are aiming for you might decide that your summit isn't quite as scary as it seems. Maybe dreaming big doesn't have to come with all that fear. Because what I know for certain is that perfect love casts out fear. And that dream you have been nurturing... it has a purpose. That purpose may not be to make you a million dollars. That purpose might be to touch one person's life. It might be to touch yours. Without even knowing it, sometimes my own words come back and minister to my own hurts and insecurities. Sometimes I teach my self a lesson I was too stubborn to hear until I spelled it out on paper in plain English. Other times I simply love getting lost in where the story takes me, regardless of how marketable or profitable that story might be. My measure of success has more to do with doing something I love than proving to the world that I can make a living doing it. Sure, it'd be nice to have it all. But sink or swim, I'm where I want to be.

So you see... here I am at the summit. I'm braced for flight. Passion blazing in my heart so fierce it could launch me to space. And yet I'm still praying through the doubts that swamp me with every peek over that steep edge. Still making sure I've got my emergency landing gear on standby. The first aid kit at the ready to patch up for the next stretch if need be. But no matter where I land, I know that the journey has been more than worth it. Because I LOVE this. Not the doubts. But the story. Even mine, walking up that mountain. I'd walk it all over again, and maybe I will. But I'm not gonna let the "what if" ruin the exhilaration of catching air for the first time. Because what if I keep on flying. Stretch your wings. Enjoy the rush. And let tomorrow worry about itself.

Happy flying!


<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Amy Leigh Simpson is the completely exhausted stay-at-home mama to the two wild-child, tow-headed toddler boys, one pretty little princess baby, and the incredibly blessed wife of her hunky hubby.

She writes Romantic Suspense chalked full of grace that is equally inspiring, nail-biting, and hilarious. And a little saucy! Okay fine, a lot saucy. :) She is a member of ACFW, and now uses her Sports Medicine degree to patch up daily boo-boos. Her greatest ambitions are to create stories that inspire hope, raise up her children to be mighty warriors for Christ, invent an all-dessert diet that works, and make up for years of sleep deprivation. 

Look for her debut novel WHEN FALL FADES out NEXT FRIDAY October 30th with WildBlue Press!

 

Behind the Scenes with Love Inspired Suspense! {{GUEST POST by JESSICA R. PATCH}}

AMY here: I am so excited to have my sassy southern friend and fellow debut author Jessica R. Patch as my guest on the alley today! She is very recently published with Harlequin's Love Inspired line and I asked her to share a bit about the process of working with LI as I know so many of us have pitched or have considering submitting our stories to the popular line. And make sure you check out Jess's new book Fatal Reunion!!! It's on the top of my TBR pile! It is garnering fabulous reviews and I can not wait to dig in! Here's Jess!

First, I want to say a big thank you to the lovely, Amy Leigh Simpson for having me today. It's always so much fun to hang out with the alley cats!

I can remember when I first started writing. All those big day dreams of what it would look like to be a published author. Then I started reading industry blogs and I realized it wasn't quite as I'd envisioned it. You mean my words might get cut? Scenes red-inked? Titles changed? Gasp! But I'm glad I read them because it prepared me. It will prepare you!

My agent had been pitching my manuscripts since 2011. In Winter of 2014, she asked me if I would be interested in writing for the Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense line. They were looking (and are) for new authors and she thought I'd be a good fit. I told her I would. I'd read many of the books, but I wasn't familiar with the formula. Yes, there is one. I checked out the guidelines and cooked up a story. I wrote the book. Sent it to my agent and in October, I received a revision letter from my editor, Shana Asaro (who is just fabulous).You can read more about my journey HERE. Tip: Always be willing to make the revisions. They want to see them. They know what they're talking about and it can land you a contract. I did what was asked of me and in January of 2015, I sold the book! Now what?

First, I had a phone call to meet my editor. Two hours later, I knew we definitely were paired up for a reason. We have a lot of the same tastes in books, heroes, heroines, and TV shows like Gilmore Girls and One Tree Hill.

Next, I received my first set of revisions, all about the content, and was asked when I could get these turned in. I set the date and  read through the track changes, making the necessary fixes.

Once that was finished it wasn't long and I received what's called an AFS. Art Fact Sheet. It's an online form Harlequin uses to help them with cover art and how to place your book in the catalog etc... It's a lot of questions about my main characters from personality to physical traits. I also include three key scenes and include pictures found on the internet to give them an idea for the cover.Since I already use Pinterest in this way, it was super helpful getting the information they needed quickly! I happen to enjoy the process, minus that short synopsis (not the blurb). But I get it done!

 

Then comes the title. I'm asked for title ideas and given some direction as far as the hooks they want to use. Then one is chosen. My tentative title for what is now Fatal Reunion was Price of Betrayal! Tip: Don't get hung up on your titles. Nine times out of ten they're going to change!

 

In between this and my second round of edits (line), I write my Dear Reader letter, Dedication, and choose my scripture for the book. I also get to see the mock-up for my cover!

 

It all takes about nine months or so for the process. It's been a great experience and I love writing for LIS. I walked away from 2015 with 4 contracts. Fatal Reunion hit shelves in January. Protective Duty releases in June, Veiled Threat and Final Verdict are slated for January 2017 then later in that year.

 

I share all this to give you a little look inside the publishing process with LIS, and to encourage you to never to give up on your dreams, but also let God develop and mold those dreams the way He wants. Writing for Harlequin didn't cross my mind until my agent brought it up. Always be willing to be re-routed. This has been an amazing journey so far. I can't complain about a single thing! Trust God. Believe. Keep writing!

 

Do you have any other questions about the publishing process? 

 

Purchase Fatal Reunion: Amazon Harlequin B&N

 

 

Overview

WRONGLY ACCUSED

When her beloved grandmother is almost killed during a home invasion, Piper Kennedy isn't surprised that she's a suspect—especially since Luke Ransom is on the case. The handsome detective she once loved thinks she knows more than she's telling about the attack. And given her crooked past and the heartbreaking way she'd been forced to betray Luke years ago, Piper understands why he doesn't trust her. But when attempts are made on her life, Luke insists on keeping her safe and finding out who wants her dead. And Piper and Luke soon realize a remorseless criminal will do anything to keep them from the truth…or an unexpected second shot at a future.

 

About Jessica

Jessica R. Patch lives in the mid-south where she pens inspirational contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels. When she's not hunched over her laptop or going on adventurous trips in the name of research with willing friends, you can find her watching way too much Netflix with her family and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she'll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter at www.jessicarpatch.com.