My Time by Scarlett Rains

A huge, warm welcome to my Guest Blogger for the week, the inimitable  Scarlett Rains. Scarlett shares her reasons for becoming  a full time writer and gives us an insight into her ‘awakening’

It’s My Time…

We’re all so busy, aren’t we?  Life ticks on in second-to-second events that bite away at the apple of our contentment. The things we do to fill our time preoccupy us, often separating us from ourselves and those we love.  Endless lists, immaculate homes, precision-clipped hedges, our perfect record of clocking in-and-out perfunctorily for 30 years…will haunt us when we cling to life in that last second of it. Wait! We’ll scream. I need more time!  Time for what? That’s the kicker. Answering that question requires knowing your self, following your bliss, so to speak. It isn’t easy to do.  It takes courage.

My bliss is writing.   I wrestled, for years, with the decision to write as a career: financial success in one corner, ‘want’ in the other.   The dollar won every round.  It looked to be the safest bet, so I tabled my writing.  I soldiered on in my stressful career as Clinical Coordinator: coming home so tired at the end of the day that my most creative expression came in the form of, ‘huh?”  I ignored the feeling that the ‘me’ who is so precious was becoming a purse, not a person.  I told myself there’d be time to write later, when I retired. I punched the clock faithfully, until —and I believe this with all my heart —the Universe sent me a message.  The message came at the peak of one of my typical, 10 hour, days.   I was busying myself at the Nurse’s Station, perusing patient’s charts, thinking of the gazillion things I had to check off my list before the end of the day, when the call came through. My chest tightened. Beads of sweat popped out on my brow.  In that instant, as I gasped for breath, my awareness heightened. The clarity of that moment, as I pondered whether I was about to die amidst strangers —with all I’d left undone—set me on my path.  That was my ‘wake-up’ call.

I took the message to heart, resigned from my position a couple of weeks later, and became a full-time writer.  Subsequently, I’ve been subjected to knowing, speculative, looks from friends (and some family members) that tick off the days of my lapse in sanity, praying I’ll regain my senses and return to my lucrative career.  They don’t understand that writing, to me, is as vital as breathing.  They haven’t experienced the thrill of awakening from a sound sleep with a story telling itself to them.  They’ve never felt the rush of trying their damndest to stay in that twilight sleep where the scenes are so clear and words flow from brain to pen …like water from a fall: cascading and glorious.  They mean well.  They just don’t get it. They think I should find more productive things to do with my time. Well, time is a constant. It cannot run out, speed up or slow down. But, I can. And I’m not wasting any more time chasing after transient symbols of success, chanting a mantra to the dollar. I want to spend the remaining years of my life following my bliss: being in the moment, not a spectator in my own life.  I’m going to let the stories out …and see where they take me.  God willing, it won’t be to the Poor House.

Author Bio:

Scarlett Rains is a busy wife, mom, grannie, and friend —following her bliss—writing fictional accounts of the adventures of intelligent, 18th century, women.  Visit Scarlett here, and find her Sisters of the Hearts series books here.

The Beautiful Blogger Award

Jeepers! I have just been told that I have been nominated, not once but twice, for the Beautiful Blogger Award. I am truly stunned! Thank you, thank you, and thank you. Firstly to blogger and author Emily Wheeler who wrote “Not only does she have some great insights on the writing process, but her guest posts are amazing. (Not including mine, of course. That would just be conceited.)”   Isn’t she wonderful!

This is what happens when you are nominated:
• You write seven facts about yourself
• You link to the blog of the person who nominated you
• You link to seven bloggers who you think deserve the award (I’m spoilt for choice here!)
• You let those bloggers know they have been nominated
Simple!

With two nominations I am not sure I can think of two lots of random facts about myself without putting everyone into a deep sleep, so I may have to recycle the first seven.

So here goes:

Until I published my book, and as a result met so many wonderful people, I had never, ever been on Facebook.  I had the impression I would have been safer signing up for active duty. I am so pleased I eventually plucked up the courage.

I never prejudge anyone.  I always give everyone the benefit of the doubt, until they prove me wrong. Then I don’t look back. I can be very stubborn.

When I was younger I shared a house with my best friend.  We took it in turns to cook. It was my turn this particular day, and I came home meaning to do just that. As I entered the kitchen, I was met with the vision of her eating the last mouthful of what she thought was a casserole I had made earlier, and left in the fridge. To this day, I have not had the heart to tell her it was the Labrador’s ‘treat for the week’, and most certainly not fit for human consumption. She didn’t seem any the worse for it, though, but my guilt has never been assuaged.

My family and I live in a house where the animals outnumber us 7 to 1.  It makes for a very happy house.

I was, at 14, the intermediate county high jump champion.

I am a terrible housekeeper. You could eat off the kitchen surfaces they are so clean,  and the cupboards are immaculate too, as is clothing, furniture, etc. But don’t for heaven’s sakes look down at the floors.  I resigned myself years ago to the fact that dogs and cats have fur and paws, and they never brush their coats nor wipe their feet. My cocker spaniel also has a penchant for rolling in anything he feels is appealing and alluring to the Jack Russell, and then rolling around indoors before he is spotted and stopped. Fortunately for us, the animals are confined to two rooms only.

I love good food, good books, good fun and good friends.  These things make me happy. Above all, I love my family more than words can describe.

Bloggers I would like to nominate:

Catalina Egan – Because Catalina is so supportive of other bloggers, and has been incredibly supportive of my blog. She is also clever, well-informed and a great writer.

Tracey Baptiste – Because I just loved Tracey’s wonderful blog, Ma Laja, which she submitted as my Guest Blogger.

Alex Laybourne– Alex is such a prolific blogger and such a decent person. I think everyone should take a look at his fantastic blogs. Do men go for this sort of thing!!

Patricia Paris – For her kindness and thoughtfulness to others, and her fun-loving side. She is also a great writer.

Scarlett Rains – Simply because Scarlett must be the sweetest person on the internet, and I have failed her whilst trying to put her blog button on my blog, which I had really wanted to do because her blogs are so heart-warming and beautiful.

Thomasina Burke – Because Thomasina squeezes so much into her wonderful life and still has time to blog

A. D. Duling – A.D, Is another prolific blogger who blogs such interesting stuff that should be read.

So there we have it, my fabulous Beautiful Bloggers.  All done, save letting the nominees know their fate. Thanks again to Emily for nominating me.