I woke this morning with a sense of new beginnings. My granddaughter heads back to kindergarten today and her excitement is off the scales. She has taken to school like the proverbial duck to water and the two-week Christmas break must have seemed endless to her five-year-old way of reckoning time. Friends and family are headed back to jam-packed college and university schedules. I am just starting to feel myself again after six days of battling an inevitable winter cough and cold.
And the twelve days of Christmas came to an end today – January sixth. In a past life that lingers (in a good way) we called this day Epiphany – which can be defined in the small ‘e’ version as a sudden or important moment of realization. I will leave capital ‘E’ definitions to your own thoughts of past or present rituals of belief.
January first is a day ripe with New Year’s resolutions but January sixth is the perfect day for reflection and the opening of the self that is always a precursor for an epiphany type realization. We rub hard on that glass that we see through only darkly and wait for a moment of clarity to find us.
Today, I am poised on the edge of seriously beginning the effort that will see The Light Never Lies into publication. Much hard work has already taken place. It is easy, as this next stage looms, to lose sight of the fact that writing, rewriting and endlessly editing the book has already been a major accomplishment. A person doesn’t get to the publication stage without having (hopefully) something of value to publish.
In my imagination, the path ahead is strewn with countless unimaginable obstacles. I used an assisted self-publisher to put out Disappearing in Plain Sight and though not a path I would choose again, the assisted part certainly smoothed out a few bumps. I don’t know how this whole doing-it-on-my-own thing is going to work – a challenging position for someone like me. I usually like to be prepared for every possible scenario before even placing a foot on the path. But I know I’ve done as much looking into and preparing as I can – the time has come now for action.
And out of the blue – as epiphanies are supposed to happen – it occurs to me – there is as much to celebrate about tackling self-publishing on my own as there is to worry about. For starters – no arbitrary rules or deadlines – it is up to me to determine how The Light Never Lies will look as a published product. That is exhilarating. After all the work that went into the writing process, it seems appropriate to keep my own vision first and foremost throughout this next stage.
Sure, I don’t know exactly how things are going to unfold, how long everything is going to take, or if I have the skills required. But I’m hopeful and today is Epiphany.
Onwards to publication, my friends. Here’s wishing your day has an epiphany moment or two.
disappearinginplainsight 
Go Francis!
Thanks, Hazy – well on the way.
may adequate support
manifest, Francis
within & without :- )
With Smilecalm in the wings how can I fail?
smiling
to not thinking
what could possibly
go wrong! 🙂
It’s such a pleasure sharing your journey Francis. Here’s to your next publication!
Thanks so much, Gemma. It is wonderful to have you along for the trip.
This sentence resonated with me: “We rub hard on that glass that we see through only darkly and wait for a moment of clarity to find us.” I have spent much of my life managing-raising my sons, keeping my house afloat, taking care of bills and rebuilding my life that I have forgotten how to let go and allow for clarity and those wonderful epiphanies to flow in. Now, more than ever I need to know it is okay to pay MORE attention to the signs that the universe has posted for me.
Your post today is a welcome reminder-thank you!
Ahhh . . . thanks. That sentence was certainly one of my favourites 🙂 I love your epiphany about needing to watch for the signs and I’m so glad my post resonated.
Now the fun really begins! (Right?)
Good luck as you proceed, and if I can help in any way (a lot of stuff is still fresh in my mind 😉 ), give me a buzz.
Thanks, Kevin and I may just take you up on the offer.
It’s great to have this insight into the process and how valuable it must be to feel that creative freedom!
I just have to get used to recognizing this new type of creativity. That’s the stretch. But as you say, valuable it is.
“I usually like to be prepared for every possible scenario before even placing a foot on the path. But I know I’ve done as much looking into and preparing as I can – the time has come now for action.” Love this, Francis! Wishing you the best as you travel the road once again, toward publication.
Thanks, Jill. I’m hoarding the well wishes like a real King Midas to help me along when I start pulling my hair.
I’m always a fan of epiphanies! 🙂
I’ll say – talk about walking the talk with your blog name – A Fine Day for an Epiphany! Thanks for stopping by Gretchen.
I’m certain that this will be worth waiting for Francis.
I don’t think any fans of Disappearing in Plain Sight will be disappointed.
Great to know things are moving along so well, Fran. You sound upbeat and full of hope, how encouraging. I look forward to the release, and continuing to follow your journey on the business end of the writing life.
Some days I do wish there was no business end of writing and only writing but most things worth doing in life have parts that don’t hit the yippee level. So onward into the fray . . .