How to Scale a Mountain
Hint: Think very small.
In her devotional Lift Your Eyes, author Whitney Newby highlights the importance of “small, intentional, consistent steps toward a goal that bears fruit over time.” It’s a needful reminder for me, because I’m smack-dab in the middle of what feels like an endless mountain range right now.
I’ve been parenting for almost sixteen years and homeschooling for eleven—but I still have at least seven years left to go (and as older folks tell me, you never really stop being a parent—it only changes form). I love my children dearly and I love being their primary teacher. But it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
I’ve been working on my next novel for the last two years and researching it long before that (find a new Heart of Stone character intro at the end of this newsletter!). I’m truly happy with how it’s shaping up! But there are still more rounds of editing and a host of launch steps to take before (and after) it releases this August.
My husband and I are renovating a house here in Birmingham to move into this summer (Birmingham friends, don’t fret—we’re not moving far). For every one step forward, it seems like we move two steps back (I hear this is a common experience). It feels like scaling Everest.
There’s more, but my goal isn’t to weigh you down with my woes. I want to encourage you! Small, intentional, consistent—those words keep thrumming through my brain. Whatever “mountain” you’re facing right now, I hope these ideas can help:
Small. Mountains are scaled step by step, not in one giant leap (unless you’re Antman). When I’m faced with an enormous task, I often think of Sam’s words to Frodo as they began the journey across the dark land of Mordor in The Return of the King: “Let’s get down this hill, for starters.” If you’re facing something big and don’t even know where to begin, just take one small step in the right direction. Don’t even worry about which small step is the “most effective.” Just start moving.
Intentional. It’s hard to get where you need to go when you don’t know where you’re going. When I start any big project, I find it helpful to jot down a few words that help express my vision—even I can’t see all the details clearly, and even if that vision may change and develop as I go along. For example, I have a Post-It note tacked to my kitchen bulletin board with 4 guiding words I wrote down when I began to pursue my childhood dream of writing books: Nourish. Challenge. Encourage. Delight. Those are my overarching goals as an author—what I wish to give to you, my readers. That small, physical reminder helps me stay focused.
Consistent. If I plant a garden bed, water it for two days, and then completely ignore it, it’s not going to do well. Once I commit to doing something, I need to stay the course. I have to take those intentional goals and turn them into regular habits. Whatever I believe is important—like family meals, reading to my children, sharing the stories inside me—I need to find ways to make those happen. Even if it’s not as often or for as long as I’d like, consistency is key.
Small, intentional, consistent. Keep moving forward, my friend! One of these days you’ll reach the summit and see how far you’ve come.
Quote of the Month
I love these words by artist Vincent Van Gogh, in a letter to his brother Theo. I hope they’ll encourage you, too, with whatever “mountain” you’re facing today!
Author News
I turned in round 1 of copyedits on my third novel—Heart of Stone—last weekend to my editors at Owl’s Nest. One step closer to getting it out in the world!
This Saturday, 3/14, I’ll be meeting readers and signing books at the Montevallo Backyard Book Fest in lovely Orr Park, from 10 am to 3 pm. Come see me at Booth #48! I’ll have both paperback and hardcover editions of my historical fantasy novels The Arrow and the Crown and The Carver and the Queen. You can also meet dozens of other Alabama authors, shop book-themed arts & crafts, win bookish prizes, and enjoy tasty treats from various food trucks.
Catch me at the Homewood Library on Friday afternoon, March 27, for a Southeastern authors meet & greet! A variety of authors from Georgia, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle will be signing and selling books at this pop-up event hosted by Thank You Books, Homewood Public Library, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Character Intro: Meet Lilia!
Courageous, resourceful, intelligent, and resolute—that’s how I think of Lilia, the main female protagonist in Heart of Stone. After her father Stepan died six years ago on mysterious Serpent Hill, Lilia has shouldered much of the burden of protecting and providing for her impoverished mother and younger brother. When a blind woman shows up in her village with promises of great fortune, Lilia hesitantly follows her lead, despite her friend Dmitri’s misgivings. She soon finds herself trapped in a web of intrigue. The Ilandar—mythical rulers of Siberia’s underworld—are conspiring to take over the Russian empire, and Lilia is key to their plot. As Lilia learns the truth about herself and struggles with powerful forces both around and within her, she finds herself swept ever deeper into a whirlpool of magic and deception. She’s determined to protect her family and her best friend Dmitri at all costs—even if she loses herself along the way. But Dmitri isn’t about to give Lilia up that easily.
A Final Note
I think that star magnolias are some of the loveliest harbingers of spring. They tend to burst into bloom far too eagerly, coaxed by warm days that turn chill within hours. Eight times out of ten, they end up frostbitten and brown. But I love that every year, they break out again with fresh optimism. Perhaps hope springs eternal in the hearts of plants, too.
Thanks for reading—and keep climbing on!