Despite my earlier blog post about not liking the Olympics, I admit to being captivated by a few late night news stories featuring successful athletes stepping into their moments of glory.

Everybody loves winners.

Isn’t it fun to watch faces beam with pride as winning contestants take their places on the podiums to accept their medals?

But, I also notice the others. The ones who tried just as hard. Who trained with fervor with the same level of hope and aspiration. The Olympic losers won’t return home to parades in their honor, but to try again. Hoping maybe in four years, their turn will come and then they will know what winning in front of millions feels like.

A friend and I talked the other day about how similar this is to the publishing industry. Where novelists train for years in workshops and conferences, with bookshelves stacked high with how-to books, red-lined and highlighted–and the race to get an agent, and a publishing house interested in your work.

After “qualifying” and landing a contract, what follows is months of writing, and edits and marketing. The lucky ones are the first in their genre to break out with a fresh voice, an engaging story and a platform sturdy enough to stand on.

Some novelists will get the gold. They’ll blast onto a best-seller list, win a coveted award, and garner the accolades of respected reviewers.

The rest will tuck their disappointment, and try again next time. These writers will head back to their offices and pound out another three hundred and fifty pages of excellence.

Hope never dies.

My finish line is only a few weeks away.

MOTHER OF PEARL releases September 1 and is already making her way to bookstores all across America.

Help make my debut a winner. Order yours today!