Giving Thanks for Writers - Blog Hop!



Today, Words from the Heart is part of a huge blog hop.  A blog hop is an event where readers have the opportunity to visit a group of blogs that are promoting or celebrating the same thing.  This blog hop is brought to you by the WoMen's Literary Cafe Authors as part of their Gratitude celebration.

For our part of the hop, we are honored to post and grateful to host author, Wendy Young.  Wendy's book, Come the Shadows, will be part of our Blog Hop give-away. You'll want to check out the other blogs that are also hosting give-aways! Find out more at the end of this post!

Gratitude by Wendy Young

This is the time of year where everyone begins to consider the question: What are you thankful for?

In my house, now that we’ve started having kids, we try to make it a daily question. Every night we ask our son: What are you thankful for? His answers are quite simple and surprising – even something like his blanket will rate on the list. We’re happy that, so far, both Mommy and Daddy rate every night, too.

Even with that daily focus, however, this time of year brings special attention to the question and the answers get more complicated every year. We move from thankfulness for a toy or a special treat as a child, to thankfulness for a nice car and spending money as a teenager, to thankfulness for our jobs, our relationships, our health, and our kids as we grow into and through adulthood.

This year was a giant leap for me. I can, for the first time, tack Author onto my list of life titles and that opens up a whole new area of gratitude. Some of the new additions to my list:
  • I am thankful for a husband who supports and encourages what I do and believes in what I want to do with my life.
  • I am thankful that I am an author at a time when self-publishing has been transformed by the e-reading revolution.
  • I am thankful for social media that allows me to connect so easily to those in my neighborhood or across the world.
  • I am thankful for the authors who came before me and opened these paths.
  • I am thankful for the successful and talented writers who share their knowledge and encouragement.
  • I am thankful for other authors at the beginning of their paths, just like me, who know what it’s like to walk in my shoes and who give of themselves in support of all of us.
  • I am thankful for book reviewers who take the time not only to read my work, but actually review it and post their thoughts on blogs, purchase sites, or reader sites like Goodreads.
Lastly, and in many ways most importantly, I am thankful for every person who has read what I’ve wrote. It doesn’t matter if you’re one of the 30,000+ who have read my free short story or the smaller number who have purchased my book; I am thankful for YOU.

Most of the latest additions to the list apply to being an author and what makes the non-writing aspect of this job easier and more enjoyable. Readers, however, are the complement to writers and are much closer to my heart. I write very character-driven stuff and if I’m connecting with readers – making them smile, laugh, think, feel – then I’ve done what I set out to do.

As a writer, it can be tempting to hoard your work and never let others into that realm. It’s easier, it’s less stressful…but it’s also less fulfilling. As an author, it’s an incredible boon to have someone read what you wrote. Add to that the knowledge he/she enjoyed it and the author has been given a wonderful gift.

Writers are normal people. We struggle, we stress, and we even moan and groan (a bit). Readers have an unique power to reward writers and not just with the purchase of a book. We live in a time where readers can find any writer and connect. Reviews are welcome, but so are quick messages or emails explaining what the story meant to you, the reader.

I am thankful for those who read and enjoy in silence, those who take the time to tell a friend, those who take the time to tell the world, advocate for a writer with a review or other public means, and those who find me and say, “Thank you.”

Sometimes, I may simply say, “Thank you,” in return. It’s true gratitude, not platitude, every single time. I’m not being lazy or rude I’m simply incapable of quantifying all that I mean in a simple reply. The appreciation sometimes seems too big to fit in words, alone. Readers are appreciated and I am thankful for every single one.

Keep doing what you do best – reading – and if you have a spare moment, let the author (any author) know what you think about the work.
The Barn-star of Thankfulness - A Barn-load of Gratitude!


  
The WoMen's Literary Cafe is very thankful for all of the support from bloggers, reviewers, and readers during the Come Back To Me book launch and 99 cent event. As a thank you, we are giving away two copies of Come the Shadows” by guest blogger and author, Wendy Young for free today only. Enter to win your copy by leaving a comment on this blog.  Don't forget to check out our sister sites below!

And the winners are: Cecilia and Kathy R!  Congratulations!!  Wendy will contact you with how to access your free e-book copy of Come the Shadows!  Thanks everyone for your participation!!


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Comments

lauriehere.com said…
Hello!
Thanks for such a nice post from the author! Very enjoyable to read!
Leaving my comment to enter to win the giveaway!
Thanks SO much for hosting this!
Laurie Carlson
laurieisreading at gmail dot com
Unknown said…
Thanks so much for this great hop and giveaway! I am meeting some new authors and my TBR pile just keeps growing!
please enter me in the giveaway :0 Thanks!
kristinaparmenter51(at)gmail(dot)com
Welcome Laurie and Kristina!
Thanks for visiting! Hope you visit some of the sister blogs...lots of great give-aways!
Wendy said…
Thank you for hosting me, Linda! I am happy to participate with you.

Laurie - thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the post :)

Kristina - those darn TBR piles are always high and wobbly :) I hope you enjoy the read when you get to it.

Good luck with the contest, ladies!
KayeDean said…
Thank you for this opportunity. I am very grateful for my good health right now. It took a long time to get here.
Emerald Barnes said…
There is so much to be thankful for! Great post. :) Come the Shadows is a fantastic book! I look forward to reading the sequel. :)
Cecilia Robert said…
what a wonderful post! i really enjoyed readying it.
my email: muoki.cece@gmail.com
Thank you for the giveaway
PNG Bookworm said…
Beautiful! With all the things going on in the world, sometimes it is easy to forget what we do have. This was a great reminder that we shouldn't forget the small things.
Jennie Bennett said…
I feel more blessed form just reading this :) great post! author.jabennett (at) gmail . com
Enjoyed your blog! And Wendy great list of what to be thankful for. Glad to have found you on the blog hop :)
Erin N said…
That's a great post, and I also have so much to be grateful for as well! I know being a mother that I am going to start teaching my daughter next year to tell us what she is grateful for, it was a tradition that my grandma had with me and I think it's great for people to think of things.
Andrea Parnell said…
So well said. Thanks for your post and for inviting me to participate in the hop and giveaway.
Wow! I took a nap, came back and here you all are!!

Sandy - Many blessings for continued health!

Emerald - Thanks for stopping by! I agree, can't wait for the sequel!

Cecilia - Your kind words are always appreciated.

Pink - You are so right! Sometimes the small things (my belief anyway) are worth so much more gratitude, yet often get overlooked.

J.A. - Thanks for your kind words. May the blessings multiply!

Christine We are glad you found us, also! Thanks for your kind words.

Erin Gratitude is a wonderful tradition/practice to teach a child. They see things in such a special way and often give thanks for things we, adults, don't think of at all.

Andrea So happy you came by today. Many Blessings!
Great post! Your son gives thanks for his parents, that is so cute. Your bulletpoints on reasons why you're thankful to be an author, right now, blew me away. You reminded me to value living in the moment and to be grateful for what we have now (rather than focusing always on what we want). Some riches can not be counted!
Hi, Carrie! Thanks for stopping by...Wendy did a great job of reminding us of how easy it can be to make room for gratitude in our daily lives. Glad you found us.
Kathy Riccillo said…
Linda,
Once again you have hosted an author who speaks from her heart. Thank You!
Wendy,
I believe there is nothing simple about "Thank you" when it comes from the heart. You have covered the complexity of emotions those words can convey, and how there can be no words to describe those emotions.
You are so right about the importance of readers and asking them to provide feedback. I am grateful for the opportunity to give my support through a comment or discussion, and wish I could do so with everything that I read!
Unknown said…
Wendy - You are a sweetheart - I am thankful that I know you!
Hi, Kathy! I am so happy you visited today. I knew you would like this Blog Hop! I am always grateful for your kind and thoughtful words to the posts here on Words from the Heart.

Blessings!
Hi, Stacy! Thanks for stopping by to read Wendy's post. Knowing her is a gift!
Wendy said…
Thank you for all the wonderful replies. I love the writer/reader community =)
Leah St. James said…
I remember those days when my kids were thankful for small things. I seem to recall their problems were a lot smaller too! :-) Great post. Thanks for helping me get into the spirit.
Unknown said…
What a wonderful post. I am a new follower. Would love a visit/follow to my blog. I am also hosting this give away. Hope you will stop by and download the free book. Donna

Enter me.
mylife.onestoryatatime@yahoo.com
Cristina said…
Thank you so much for your post. It's amazing that when we take the time away from our hectic schedules, we realize that we've much to be grateful for, and that's quite humbling.
LizzieBeth said…
Beautiful post, Wendy. Very touching. Enjoyed it immensely.



LizzieBeth1095@sbcglobal.net
Sheila Deeth said…
I enjoyed your post. We used to have our kids say what they were thankful for during "prayers" every night as well. I remember feeling slightly dismayed when one of them said "Thank you God that it wasn't a tooo bad day today but please can tomorrow be better."
Janet said…
Thank you so much for being a part of this today!!
janet(at)goingcrazywannago(dot)com
meleah rebeccah said…
what a beautiful post to read.
Hi, Meleah!

Thanks for stopping by...yes, it is beautiful.

Peace! Linda

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