Hello my darlings,
We’ve only got one life, so we’re as well living it to the max. This isn’t going to be a deep post about the meaning of life, btw. So you can all reeeelax, after all this is me you’re dealing with.
Recently I’ve been talking to a couple of peeps who are a little itty bitty disappointed with what life is tossing them and they’re feeling blue as if all the energy they’ve used devoting themselves to a certain path has been a waste of time and they’re lying flat on their back on the the ground gazing up with hungry eyes at the sheer cliff face they have to climb and it all seems too much. And I get that, I really do. The thing I’ve been struggling with is how to help them and then I found this:
To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach our to another is to risk involvement.
To expose your feelings is to risk rejection.
To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ridicule.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken,
because the greatest risk of all is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing,
has nothing and is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but he cannot learn, he cannot feel,
he cannot change, he cannot grow
and he cannot love.
Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave.
Only the person who risks is truly free.
Beautiful isn’t it? I’ve no idea who wrote it. It’s by Anon. I found it in a precious little book called Poems and Readings for Christenings and Naming Ceremonies, Compiled by Susannah Steel
And the picture of the baby is my son when he was twenty-four hours old, after a twenty-six hour labour. He screamed into the world at a fighting weight of 10 pounds (I know, my eyes are crossing just thinking about it) and three weeks late. I’d taken a huge risk having him after losing his brother two years before, but someone was missing from my family. Thankfully H was right behind me. We took a risk and we’ve never regretted it.
Another risk, a professional risk for me, was to write in two genres. I can’t tell you the number of voices who said, ‘Don’t do it.’ Or, ‘Your readers will hate it.’ Or, ‘Write under a pen name.’ And, ‘You’ll stretch yourself too thin.’ They might be right about that, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. There are two books out in the series with another three ‘under construction’ and I’m way behind with book three due to events beyond my control. But you know what? Readers - awesome readers - are waiting for the rest. How amazing is that?
So just for them, here are the three newly minted covers of The Vampyre Legal Chronicles designed by the lovely Gabrielle Prendergast of Cover Your Dreams and I promise book three will be here as soon as possible.
What risks have you taken in your lives?
You know I love hearing from you guys, so share your stories with The World!!
Christine XX
CC MACKENZIE - USA Today Bestselling Author 
The baby is adorable, the new covers great! Great job on the 36hrs of labor-my 3 labors combined don’t even add up to 36, you poor woman. Good thing you had the best reward in the world at the end of it. 🙂
Keep taking those risks, Christine, you’re doing wonderful and inspiring many along the way!
Tell me about it! The girls were six hours and two hours in labour - a breeze - and 6 Ibs and 6 Ibs 2 oz. If he’d been my first he would have been my last. LOL! Just goes to show, be careful what you wish for because you might just get it! 🙂
Thank you, Stacey, I’m following in your footsteps! 🙂
WONDERFUL post, baby is adorable!
Hi Cindy!
He was a real bouncing boy and a nightmare until he turned five and then the devil became an angel (actually that might be pushing it) but he’s lovely 95% of the time. He’ll kill me if he reads this. Ho hum….. 😉
I always liked Teddy Roosevelt’s quote: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Hello Dale,
That is amazing. And so very true. It’s too easy for us to listen to the critic and give up because we fear failure. It’s 95% perspiration and 5% inspiration along with the dogged determination to never give up.
Have I told you I’m glad you’re back blogging your adventures, misadventures, and deep thoughts?
Hi, Pat!
You have now! Lovely to see you here!!
Your risks are definitely paying off and inspiring others, Christine. Keep up the good work.
And wow! 36 hours and 10 pounds! You’re super woman! 🙂
It wasn’t pretty, Rhonda. You’re very kind to say I inspire others. I think most of the time I’m drive them nuts!
Your risks are a source of pride for you and inspiration for others, Christine. But my eyes cannot undo reading “twenty-six hours of labor”!!!! OMFG! I just can’t imagine. I had an epidural and laughed and talked silly - pumped full of drugs - while someone pulled Cole out of me. I can’t imagine at all. But that cutie pie is adorable and totally worth it, I know…
Risks I took…
First is when I moved to America after 6 months of talking to my “future” husband at the time. We met on Yahoo Chat, continued our connection, and months later, I packed two enormous suitcases and ventured to a place I’d never been before to meet a man, sight unseen. Not sure I’d have the guts to do it today!
Second, when I was laid off, I decided to start writing… I let go of my legal career to finally follow my dream. I never regretted that decision.
Wow, moving to America to meet a man you met on yahoo! Whoa, now there is a huge risk. And look how that worked out for you?? And you keep up the awesome work and continue to follow the dream. 🙂
Lovely thoughts, Christine! Your new covers look awesome. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
Hello, Coleen darling,
Lovely to see you here and you are very welcome. 🙂
Love your new covers, Christine. I’ve had a blast watching you take risks (yes, you are the example look to every day and say … now, what would Christine do?) and by doing so, you’ve shown us your heart and your dreams. Keep on going, my darling girl!
Good thing they’re cute. They have no idea how lucky they are to be alive. lol. OUCH! Ten pounds? Can you say hernia? That’s a three month baby, not a newborn. And they say girls are late. I’m sorry to hear about the one you lost. I’m happy that your family came together Christine. Boys are special to their mamas. Girls are too. But it’s just different, as you well know.
And look at those covers. Do y’all sleep over in Manchester? Between the writing and the publishing, is there any free hours in the day? There cannot be. They look fantastic! Great job. And your books are multiplying like rabbits. Congratulations!
Me? I’m still working at it. Good god, this writing thing is worse than giving birth. At least it is for me. I want a cesarean. Take it out, take it out. I am done incubating the sucker. But no. That’s not happening. I don’t think that I will publish in this lifetime Christine. It’s not looking very pretty. But hey, I keep struggling along. At this point, I don’t know what to think.
But you are an inspiration! 🙂