Tara Taylor Quinn | Some Weeks Are Worth Reliving

August 9, 2010

Some weeks are just great weeks. They’re the kind that sustain you through the hard times. The bad times. The kind that keep you getting up every morning with anticipation, with eagerness to see what life will bring. Last week was one of those weeks for me.

For the first two days of the week I was on the beach with my husband. Those days were everything a romance writer writes about. But instead of writing, I was living the dream. Living what I write about. Living what I believe in.

And though we left the beach, the life, the living, didn’t end. On Wednesday I received my first review of The First Wife. Romantic Times gave it a four! It’s ‘well written.’ Thank goodness. Someone who doesn’t love me thinks I’m a good writer! I should just get that, after all this time and all these books, I can write, but I never do. I worry. Every single time.

And then it got even better. "The unique plot involving bigamy will keep readers hooked." You have no idea how much I hope that’s true. The book is out next month. I just received my copies. I’ve done the work. I’ve given it all of me. And now I have to put it out there and hope that it doesn’t get shoved to the back of the room, the last one to be picked when choosing sides for basketball.

But far more important than the review, on Wednesday I got to meet some very very special friends. I had lunch and dinner with a friend I’ve known and loved for years. And in between I met new friends who very quickly became a part of my life. I met a woman who’s been following my blogs on line for years. And it turned out that she and her husband both work at the university where my husband and I met. We were staying at a resort in Disney World and the meeting gave all new meaning to the "It’s A Small World" song playing in the background. I believe things happen for a reason. I believe that meeting happened for a reason. I hope to know Lynda and Patrick for the rest of my life. I hope I get to read a book of hers some day just like she’s read mine.

One of the highlights of the week for me was the time I spent with Sara Reyes. Fresh Fiction is more than a business. More than an internet source of information. Fresh Fiction is a family. Given to us by a very special family. Listening to Sara talk about her husband, seeing her with her adult children, meeting them, working with them, was something I won’t forget. They emanate everything we write about. Everything we believe in here, in this community of lovers of romance and family. And Sandi and Faye, who work with them, carry the same positive energy, the sense of belonging and worth and value. Sara and her crew are the reason Fresh Fiction is such a success. It’s not the work they do, it’s the people they are. We can look all over the world for the ‘answer’ to life. We can analyze and wonder and worry. Or we can look right here at Fresh Fiction. The answer is here. It starts at the top and filters down. The answer is the love we write about. The openness and willingness to help others. The caring. The drive to always do more. The answer is in the smiles on the faces of Sara and all of those who work with her. I was overwhelmed when I sat down with Sara. Tired and feeling as though I carried the world on my shoulders. There was no weight on my shoulders by the time I stood up. I still had jobs to do. More jobs to do. But I also felt like I had the means to do them. I’m not sure how Sara instilled that sense in me. I don’t think it matters that I know. I just know that I’m going to cling to it. And try to share it with everyone in my life.

Sometimes you meet someone that changes your life. This week I met several someones that did that. Anyone else have someone in your life that made a difference this week? Let’s pay it forward!

Comments

19 comments posted.

Re: Tara Taylor Quinn | Some Weeks Are Worth Reliving

I actually have someone that everytime I "talk" mostly thru email these days, she makes me believe I can overcome the obstacles in my life. She has been a life long friend and I do know why. She is an amazing person. It's great when we have someone that can do that for us.
(Vicki Hancock 11:32am August 9, 2010)

News of more than one marriage at a time has been on the increase. Your book can shed some truth lights on this intriguing bad boy habit.
(Alyson Widen 1:29pm August 9, 2010)

What a wonderful blog post, and not just because of the kind words about us FF staff. We all need the special folks who keep giving us uplifting reminders that we can overcome whatever life throws at us. Thanks again to TTQ for saying it so eloquently!
(Mindy Ewing 1:40pm August 9, 2010)

Thank you so much Tara.
I write reviews for Fresh
Fiction. I am isolated in my
'real' life and being part of
the family Sarah and the rest
have created makes me less so.
Thank you for so beautifully
expressing what is in my
heart.
(Diana Troldahl 2:05pm August 9, 2010)

Your book sounds great and I hope to read it soon
(Vickie Hightower 3:31pm August 9, 2010)

This is amazing! I'm glad you got to experience Sara Reyes and the Fresh Fiction staff as I did when I first got the internship. It's been great fun and they not only know what they are doing, they care.

I can't wait to read your book!
(Becky Pena 4:30pm August 9, 2010)

Can't say that I've met someone this week that changed my life or made a difference.

I must say, those four book covers are amazing!
(Cynthia Netherton 6:32pm August 9, 2010)

I'm thrilled you had a great week. That's how memories are made.
(Mary Preston 7:03pm August 9, 2010)

I wish I could have met some of you!
(Diane Sadler 7:09pm August 9, 2010)

I've never really met anyone who
changed my life unless you count
my hubby and kids.
(Lisa Richards 7:19pm August 9, 2010)

When I read the blog and saw I was
mentioned I felt really special, and
since I've been sick since returning
from RWA it was quite the boost I
needed to be included in some great
comments about Sara and all that she
and FF do.

Today I was sorting my cards and what
not that I got at RWA and had two
magnets of your bookcovers. I was
pretty excited about that. Thought
about putting one up at work, but
decided my boss might not like it, so
put it back in my purse to bring home
and put on my fridge and the fridge
my husband uses for his Diet Mt. Dew!
(Sandi Shilhanek 7:23pm August 9, 2010)

By reading the posts this week, I could tell that Fresh Fiction was one big happy family!! It's always good to have someone in your corner who can give you that extra "push," when you're on your last ounce of adrenaline. I've been there, and know how it feels. It's also good to pay it forward when you can. I heard it comes back to you tenfold. God bless you, Tara!! It looks like God is starting to pay it back in bits and pieces already!!
(Peggy Roberson 9:13pm August 9, 2010)

I agree so totally! I usually like reading at night to relax and get frustrated when I don't get any reading done over the week-end. But, this week-end, my BFF came down for a visit from Michigan and we just hang out and had such a great time. We stayed up late and slept in and I feel wonderful!
(Molly Wilsbacher 10:15pm August 9, 2010)

Not this week, but my old boss was
one of those people. When she hired
me, she outlined what needed to be
done and then opened the door to let
me do whatever else I could. Working
in a small library is exciting,
frustrating, and in this case was
wonderful. I got to know and work
with some great people. I got to
develop and implement new programs.
We had an eight year run where she
took the library from one that had
about 20 patrons a day and no out
reach to one with 150+ patrons most
days and many in house and outreach
programs. Our library was known in
the region for doing much with a
small budget. It was because of the
dedication of the employees. She
retired and things changed as they
tend to. Small town politics kicked
in. The vision for the library took a
180 degree shift. It is now a building
with books and no soul. My programs
were cut 2 weeks after she left. I was
relieved of my job. Both of which my
old boss later told me she expected.
It was nice to be able to spread my
wings and see what we could do. I am
finding much of my self-image was
tied to that job. I am now trying to
redirect my energy. There are a lot of
projects to get caught up on. My old
boss calls every few weeks to talk and
see how things are going. She now
lives 8 hours away. We all need
friends that encourage us to be
everything we are capable of. We all
need that pep talk every once in a
while.
(Patricia Barraclough 10:26pm August 9, 2010)

Thanks everyone! I loved reading about the special people in your lives - it intensifies the sense that we all can contribute to the source of energy that sustains us. Like there's this big pool and sometimes we tap into it and share it with others. And sometimes someone else taps into it and shares it with us. I've discovered that I need that pool more vitally than I need food or air or water. I need the energy that flows among us and between us to sustain me.

Talking here is so much more than just time on the internet or social interchange or even an enjoyable past time. It's a source of the energy we need to take the next breath. The next step.

Whew, and now I guess you all know why I write deep books!

And Gwen, four books back to back keeps my head occupied! After I spoke with you I was offered the opportunity to write three more, back to back. I accepted, of course!
(Tara Taylor Quinn 8:16am August 10, 2010)

Yes, I have recently met someone who is encouraging me and she is already playing an important role in my life.
(Gladys Paradowski 9:18pm August 10, 2010)

cool book covers! I had a week I wouldn't repeat for anything it's been a bad one!
(Brenda Rupp 10:39pm August 10, 2010)

I agree, the FF group is awesome.
(Maria Munoz 10:02am August 11, 2010)

Brenda,

Sorry to hear about your bad week. A couple of friends of mine had bad weeks, too, in two separate parts of the country. I hope you all three fare better this week.
(Tara Taylor Quinn 3:10pm August 11, 2010)

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