Trailblazing



Sky Ranch Christian Camp in Van, Texas

I was a camp counselor during my college years at the most amazing place on the planet!  I spent 2 summers there, talking to kids about Jesus, doing crafts, swiming, canoeing, among other campy types of activities.  And, oh yes, horse-back riding! 

Growing up, horses were one of my favorite things in the whole world!  So a full summer at a place where I could be around them all the time was like heaven on earth!  I would get to ride several times a week on the trails and then, at least once a week, the counselors and work staff would take our own ride - off trail.  They called it trail blazing.  Oh, the memories . . .

Well, that's what I feel like I'm doing now, trying to become a published novelist.  I've veered off my comfortable path, the one where I talk mainly to my friends and family, take care of my kids, volunteer for things within my forte.  Now I find myself in a totally new society; one where I'm an unknown, a hopeful. 

So I've set off on what I do fairly well - read.  I've scanned hundreds of blogs already, and I've only been on this path for 3 days.  I've learned some specifics of what is expected of me and what I can expect from others.  I've learned that I'm not ready to send out any introductory notes, yet.  I hurried that along a couple of decades ago with some poetry.  I did get one poem publish, but it wasn't really worth wading through all of the rejection letters.  AND, I had no IDEA what I was doing!

I'm much better prepared at this point, just because I have scoured the information available - and there is LOTS of information available!  So I'll keep analyzing the data I'm finding.  Meanwhile, I'll take my book through a second revision.  It changed considerably through the first one; I'm betting on more alterations!