My family got this plaque for me recently, and I couldn’t help but laugh when I read the last stage in the process. “Do all the work while crying.”
Oh so funny—even if a tad bit true.
Writing a novel is a daunting process. I’m currently working on my thirteenth book and the process has only gotten harder with each project. Which doesn’t make sense because you’d think that once you’ve done something so many times, the “assembly” might get easier. I mean, I’ve made my mother’s Coconut Cake recipe so many times I could practically whip it up in my sleep.
But writing a novel? Oy…
No matter how much I’ve learned along the way, I continue to discover that there’s so much more to learn. I’ll always be an apprentice to this craft. Which keeps the writing journey fresh and exciting (as Lynn referenced so beautifully in her blog yesterday), while also providing ample opportunities for frustration and…well, some crying too, LOL. Especially toward the end when you’re certain the book you’re writing is your worst yet, and you’d swear you can hear your editor turning on her shredder.
I’m currently working to finish the third (and final) book in the Belmont series (following A Lasting Impression and A Beauty So Rare), and while I’m enjoying writing this book (it definitely has a different feel from the last four or five novels I’ve written), I also find myself hesitant to bring it to a close. Because I’m going to miss these people. Not only the male and female protagonist in the story but the secondary characters who’ve populated all of the Belmont Mansion novels—and my heart—for the past four years.
They’re dear friends whom I’ve grown to love, even while wanting to slap them upside the head on numerous occasions. 
Are you a creative person at heart? Does any part of the process outlined in the plaque above resonant with you? Is there something you really enjoy doing that sometimes nearly drives you to drink?!
I’d love to know.
Blessings on your Tuesday,
Tammy
Nashville’s “Owl” Tree
My daughter Kelsey and I were running errands on Sunday when I spotted this historical marker and had to stop. I didn’t know this tree existed until this past weekend but oh, what a treasure! It’s been calculated that this gorgeous old oak tree has been providing shade and beauty to this site for over 200 years. Local history records that it’s sheltered uncounted generations of owls in its branches since at least 1864 when Confederate troops reportedly camped here. If only this tree could talk!
What scenes do you imagine when looking at this magnificent old tree?
Tamera blogs every first and third Tuesday at Inspired by Life . . . and Fiction, a group blog she shares with a wonderful community of authors. If you'd like to join the conversation on this post, Tamera would love to see you there!