Checkmate?

Perhaps the greatest challenge of any wannabe author is the mind games we must play. (And I'm not talking about those memory games we all play when we go to the grocery store. “Ok... I need Milk, Ugli fruit, and Depends - M.U.D. That's easy enough to remember. I'm going to the grocery store to buy mud.”) The mind games that I am referring to are those inner conflicts between your passion for writing and your better judgment. It's a battle of wills, and to the victor go the spoils (the spoils of course being - the right to choose what direction your life takes). And most days the fighting is silenced by diving head-first into the craft of writing. But other days, the conflict consumes your thoughts. Unfortunately today is the latter.

This morning (like every morning), I woke up, turned on my computer, and said to myself – I like my cookbook. I truly believe the recipes are well conceived, the writing is entertaining, and the photos are beautiful (even with their realistic flaws). And yet as I watched my family go off to their more traditional jobs, I couldn't help but think – what am I doing with my life?!?! Volunteer firemen make more money than this! Perhaps I should just go and find a nice quiet job at some bakery and... make the donuts. That always seemed to work for Dunkin' Donuts fellow. What was his name? Fred the Baker?

Days like today, can be difficult. But then again, every job has its challenges, every employee has his bad days, and every writer has his faith that tomorrow will be the day. Tomorrow will be the day my name will be in print.