Big Books of 2026

For the Love of the Art

Picture Reading this article reminded me of the day when one of my nieces asked me what you need to be a writer, and I said “a day job.” It’s true. For all of the lovely visions of writers padding around in their pajamas with coffee (or tea) and tapping at their laptops all day, it’s a lie. The truth is that most writers aren’t even like the suffering author of this article, writing all day. Most of us are creating our masterpieces nights, weekends, lunch breaks, days off, holidays, and anywhere we can “steal a moment” to work on our manuscripts. We carry our laptops everywhere in hopes to make progress on our latest project. We read. We research. We write. We publish. Rinse and repeat.

But why, most people ask? If most writers aren’t Stephen King or J.K. Rowling, then why waste time on an effort that isn’t padding our bank accounts?

It’s simple, really. We have stories to share with the world because we know the powerful impact that a good book can have on your soul. We appreciate the art of the written word, much like musicians embrace the power of music to speak, artists appreciate the ability of color and shape to express depth of emotion that defies words, and designers appreciate the ability to shape the environment to reflect reality. Money can’t do that. Art expands the soul, and to us that means more than fat stacks.

Not that we’d say “no” to those fat stacks. We’ve all got to live. Every time I hear somebody complain about the number of remakes churning out on the screens, I groan because they’re part of the problem. The mainstream media is handing back what is consumed and, sadly, most people won’t step outside of what’s popular. This is even a problem with the “big publishers” who, as I’ve heard directly from authors who sign with them, are under contract to keep churning out formulaic novels of the same genre and style, and not allowed to step outside and experiment. This is why I’m indie. The first time a publisher tried to slap me back in line with paranormal mystery, I said “thanks but no thanks.” I wanted to branch out and I did – in fact, my indie titles are the ones selling now, while the ones through publishers have stalled. I’m no bigshot author, but roll on in joy because I love stories and believe it’s one of the Lord’s biggest purposes in my life.

Do you want different? Good news: it’s out there! You just have to be brave and give it a chance.

Somebody recently asked me why I got my tattoo, and I replied “because you can ignore my writing, but you can’t ignore a half sleeve rose vine running up my dominant arm.” I wanted to let the world know that I’ve embraced my artistic side, and it’s here to stay. Feel free to join me. All are invited, and it’s open to everybody.

That’s all today. Take care, and have a great week.

​Bye!    
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Published on May 07, 2024 14:35
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