Melinda Morley

So, last week I spent nine days in St. George.

I love St. George.

I love the mountains. I love the sun. I love the running paths. I love the Virgin River and the little birds in the bushes. I love the shopping. But these were all a fringe benefit for the real reason I went there.

To WRITE.

I attended a writing workshop called “Death by Writing.” I know I have told you that already, but I want to be clear for all my new readers. If there are any. Maybe one or two. You never know. It could happen.

So, the days would go as such:

Meet in the morning in the board room at the Ramada Inn and have Dave Farland, author extraordinaire, teach us about writing, publishing, outlining, you name it–he could probably write a book on it.

Then we would go to lunch with everyone. I usually got salad. I ate a lot of good salad that week. mmmm. I need to buy lettuce. And cucumbers. Wait. Where was I? Ahem. Lunch.

Then after lunch we would break up and go and write. Dave would schedule individual appointments with us in the afternoon to help us with our writing and give us advice, etc.

So, when you go to these things, part of you thinks, wouldn’t it be really great if he just loved my stuff. And told me how great it was. And wanted to publish it.

And then reality sets in and you think: it’s okay if he doesn’t like it. It still needs a lot of work. He can help me make it better and that’s why I’m are here after all. Right? Right.  No big deal.

So, then I met with Dave. (Who has helped anywhere from 300-400 writers get their starts by giving advice and helping them with novels that they are having trouble selling. He’s a guru that way.I’m just saying.) And I really wanted him to like my stuff. And I was nervous, but brave. After all, we can’t be published if we are not brave.

And then the best thing happened (the one that I hoped for and didn’t expect), he really liked my stuff. So, much that he didn’t have any suggestions. He thought it was great and professional and publishable. And he loved the voice. And he genuinely liked the story.  And it was all so great. Just like I dreamed it would be. And that is a happy thing. Because it is a rare thing. And I’m going to enjoy it. And remember it before all the rejection letters pile up.

And then a couple days after I got home he blurbed about me in his Daily Kick in the Pants email that he sends out to thousands of subscribers.

Here is what he said:

Now that the “Writers Death Camp” is over, I did want to mention that it was an awful lot of fun, and I found a number of very talented writers in the group. Of those that are ready to debut, I mentioned Regina Richards last week, but Melinda Morley also impressed me as someone to watch over the next few months. So here are two talented women, both with consonance in their names.

And that is very happy for me. I was nervous to share that, but I appreciate all the well wishes and sincere congratulations that I got from my friends, family, and fellow writers. I’m so glad to have so many people rooting for me. Thank you, everyone!!!

So now I’m revising like crazy. My book is almost done. I get butterflies typing that because I can’t hardly I dreamedbelieve it’s true. I’ll have a book to send out into the world. It’s a book that I’m in love with and I can’t wait for you to read it. I think the story is amazing, and I can’t take credit, because it feels so inspired. It came to me like rays of light and I have loved putting it down on paper and bringing it to life.

Now, I must go and revise some more.

If you aren’t receiving Dave’s Daily Kicks, I highly recommend them. Dave knows his stuff. Check him out here.

Here is the cover of his latest Runelord novel. So. Cool.