By Maryanna Gabriel
It is a dream come true to be published. If you have been following this blog you will know I go on at some length from time to time about writing.
Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to be an author. I had a special book in mind - one to inspire. The vision of the book kept coming but how I was to write it confused me. As I grew, I said it again in high school. The thread of the dream followed me through the distraction of motherhood and putting food on the table. Every year, I created a vision board of what I wanted. The book was always on it. But the years rolled by. Then I saw an ad and feeling a thrill, I started a writing course at a university. The courses were inspiring, but it was not enough. Wanting more, I enrolled in a program. That was better and I wrote with ferocious regularity. I explored the tools of the trade. Got feedback. Wrote four times more than I was supposed to. Good thing. I needed it when I was eventually accepted into a master's program. Worried about money, I worked hard to bring in more of the green stuff and stuck to my goal, on track with pilgrimage and how it had always driven me. Covid hit. Without the usual social channels, I was able to focus. The book was my obsession as I concentrated. I went deeper and dug further, through a wall of resistance but knowing the manuscript made little sense unless I pushed on through. And now here I am. Being published in 2023. Thank you to Lesley Choyce of Pottersfield Press. I am so excited.
On Earth As It Is: Walking The Camino has won a second prize, The Pottersfield Press 2022 Award. It is a bit of a stunner. Maybe I can die now except I have too much to do.
