The Journey

Blink.

I did it.

I wrote a second book and proved to myself I wasn’t a one-trick pony.

When my writing journey began, seeing myself published was an elusive dream. To see my name on an actual cover with my words inside it – was something I was looking forward to – in my next life perhaps.

When I began winning online contests on various sites for writers for my poetry and short stories – something happened. That little voice inside me said “Maybe you can do this.”

I wanted to write a book damn it!

One day, Sandy and I were tripping around Barnes and Noble and she stumbled upon the “Women’s” section while I was 1/2 mile away from her in the stacks where I usually found something to read. “What’s this? Books about lesbians BY lesbians?”

How come I didn’t know about this?

Before you ask yourself what rock I was living under – I’m going to tell you that’s another story. I might even tell it one day 🙂

Back to this one…

Once I held a glossy Bold Strokes Book – I read every one I could get my hands on. Now these were some stories I could sink my teeth into. Regular stories about women like me. Stories where women made NO excuses for who they loved.

There was that little voice again.
Here’s your niche, Yvonne.

I looked at Sandy, the love of my life, saviour, soul mate and best friend and thought about our journey together.

What if…
…I could write a book.

So I began.

Here’ the kicker – ideas are easy – writing an entire story with a beginning, middle, and end – is – well – NOT!

I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to give up. Oh heck, truthfully? I have at least four stories in the bottom desk drawer to prove it.

Then one day – I was cruising MySpace (remember that site?) I saw a little tiny post by Bold Strokes Books that read: New Author Development Forum.

The top of my scalp tingled, goosebumps raced up my arms, and my hand froze on the mouse. It was a moment full of possibilty…

Really?

I could pull out one of my stories, do something I loved, AND be selected to work with authors that I idolized?

I held my breath.

Do I dare?

In true Yvonne fashion (meaning – let’s make it really hard) I had two weeks before the submission deadline – let’s start a new one! Oh yeah, and it has to be 50 pages – single spaced…

I began Sometime Yesterday. I wrote like a mad-woman, reached the required page count and *gasp* hit enter.

Is it good enough? There’s that little voice again.

I diligently (okay, obsessively) checked my email every half hour for the next few weeks. I was accepted! Though the NADF eventually had to disband…

Well, you already know the ending, right?

The birth of Sometime Yesterday was a long journey for me but a dream that I didn’t want to let go of.

Out of the goodness of their hearts – the wonderful team at BSB supported me- and on their own time – continued to work with me. Complete strangers that didn’t give up on me. How cool is that?

Sometime Yesterday comes out next month. August 14, to be exact.

I’m a published author. To say that and feel the joy that bubbles up from my Spirit is the most amazing feeling in the world.

To know that I could pull another book out of my imagination – is priceless.

This is really happening. To me – the little lost girl who searched most of her life for a place to fit in, a place to belong.

I found it.

And it’s AWESOME 🙂

Milestones and Reflections

Okay, so I can’t believe that in a week and half it will be May already. I blinked and realized that there is only six months to go until my big five-oh.

*Gasp!

How the hell did I get here? And damn it, where was my midlife crisis? Is it just late?

I want to feel gypped. I want to turn back the clock sometimes and get back all the time I gave away to people who didn’t deserve it and I want desperately to correct some colossal mistakes that I’ve made in my life. It goes without saying that I would have made better choices for myself – and yes, I would have been more selfish.

Selfish with my time, love and compassion. I would given it to the people who actually needed it. Like my children. I wish I would have known that you can’t fix people or make them love you. I wish I would have learned earlier that “they just weren’t into me…” to quote a book that came out several years ago.

I wish I would have realized that I “just wasn’t into them” either… Okay, that made me laugh. I did love the pretty boys and I loved it when they wore eyeliner. That should have been my second clue – the first being that I wanted to marry Penny Cartwright in Lost In Space.

I wouldn’t have wasted my time chasing the pretty, long-haired boys that always broke my heart and I would have admitted to myself that I didn’t have to be what someone else wanted me to be. I wish I would have kissed that girl in high-school.

*Deleted the horrible list of things that I listed I wished I hadn’t done – or had happen to me. If you can picture it, I can probably give you excellent examples… I wouldn’t even blink twice.

But every single second of my life is unique to my journey. Good bad or ugly – it is my journey.

By my choices, I have been all over the social scale – though truthfully – most of it was spent at the bottom – where I mistakenly believed I belonged. I spent all of my adult terrified of everything, taking the path of least resistance, willfully jumping into other people’s nightmares, and never sticking up for myself.

Those days are over. I can say that honestly and feel them to be true.

It has taken me years to grow up – and now that I FEEL like an adult – somehow, when I look into the mirror I expect to see Yvonne at 29… (When I turn 50 – I can be 29 with 21 years experience.)

I think I will let myself slide gracefully slide into my crone years.

In conclusion, I believe that my midlife crises was waking up, climbing out of the mudpit, and turning in the right direction. I did it backwards, that’s so like me 🙂

My Own Worst Enemy

I have written dozens of posts in the last few weeks – and I have deleted every one of them. Why? you might ask. Because I read other people’s blogs.

I’ve been doing it again. The thing that every respectable self-help book tells you not to do. *Cue doom music… Dah Dah DAH….*

I compared myself to the other writers.

I’ve read some amazing blogs on wonderous adventures and trips that have been taken, people they have met and fascinating jobs held. I could actually feel myself shrinking and almost imagine how a man must feel while he watched the beer commercial about “The Most Interesting Man In The World.”

So, while I was playing handball against the nearest curb and pondering why on earth would any of these people want to even know me – let alone read one of my books. Then it came to me…

I have the richest inner-life of anyone I know.

From the first time I picked up a book at the age of four, I had a wonderful gift. I have the ability to become the characters in them. Because of that, I have sailed the high seas with busty wenches on pirate ships and slashed through the underbrush in a South American jungle to find treasure in hidden cities. I have walked in Ancient Egypt with Cleopatra and rescued Helen of Troy.

I’ve traveled the Universe in a blink of eye and made friends with aliens. I’ve lived with vampires, fairies and fallen in love with werewolves. I’ve been wealthy, poor and everything in between. I’ve lived in castles and caves and at one time, I was the only living woman on the planet.

How on earth could I compare myself to others after that? I am just me 🙂
I have wonderful stories inside of me that are just bursting to get out of my head and on to the page.

So, while I appreciate the awesome lives that other people live and I don’t begrudge them a second of it – I realized I DO have my place here as a writer.

Today, I’m going to be a rock star!

New Year’s goal for 2012

When my story was accepted by Bold Strokes Books, I RAN to purchase my website domain – every author needs a website, right? I was so glad that YvonneHeidt.com was available. *Snickers.

Then I just left it there, all alone. Pretty boring, right?

I thought I couldn’t or shouldn’t post anything about my book because it’s not due out until July of this year. Which is silly, really – because I have friends on facebook and twitter who think that I am highly amusing. Maybe, just maybe – I might write something that someone else wants to read.

What a wonderful journey that I am on!

So, in an attempt to build my author site, I will be searching and reading on how to build a blog – let me re-phrase, how to build an INTERESTING blog…

In other news: I am working on an exciting new trilogy , also for Bold Strokes Books!

Details to follow soon.

Thanksgiving Eve

I think that the hardest part about my book being published – is the waiting. Even above and beyond the edits!

But I couldn’t possibly let this Thanksgiving go by without being oh, so grateful that Bold Strokes Books has made a dream come true and gave me a chance.

Thank you!

Press Release: Sometime Yesterday

A Haunting Love Story

July 10, 2011 Press Release:  New Title from Yvonne Heidt
 
Bold Strokes Books is pleased to announce the acquisition of Yvonne Heidt’s new paranormal romance, Sometime Yesterday, scheduled for release in 2012.
 
 

Sometime Yesterday – Coming in 2012

 
Natalie Chambers is a successful artist who, after her divorce, impulsively buys a Victorian house overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Immediately, she begins to dream of Sarah and Beth, two lovers from the past and the Dark Man who controlled their lives. When she begins to look for explanations for the things going bump in the night, the only answer she can get from the locals is that several previous owners had fled screaming into the night.
 
Van Easton hasn’t had a serious relationship since her partner died several years ago.  Content to let other women and alcohol distract her, she is surprised at the intensity of emotion that bubbles to the surface after she meets Natalie. Contracted to restore the gardens at Natalie’s house, she refuses to believe that the mansion is haunted. Until the Dark Man follows her home.
 
It appears he will stop at nothing to keep the new lovers apart, and the violence continues to escalate. Can they solve the mystery that will set Beth and Sarah free and banish the evil presence in the house? Or will they have to run to survive as well?

Visit Yvonne Heidt’s Bio Page at Bold Strokes Books

*****

Visit Bold Strokes Books Online Bookstore for this and other exciting titles.

Hello!

Here is my brand-new Author webpage. I am excited to announce that my book, Sometime Yesterday, has been accepted for publication through Bold Strokes Books Publishing.

I would like to extend my appreciation to everyone involved for their time, patience and encouragement!

It will be available in August of 2012.

A special shout-out to Paris Honsowetz for being such an awesome Beta-reader. Love you!

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