Meet Leif Garrett

He started as a cutting from another plant, just like his neighbor in the red cup. Kris put him in water, just like his neighbor, and when he sprouted roots, Kirs planted him in his pot. Leif hung in there, but he never really grew. He was in the pot for months, cared for, watered, but never made any progress.

Then his leaves started wilting. He wasn’t doing good. Was he giving up?

Then one day, a new sprout broke through the dirt. That sprout became a leaf, it became Leif Garrett. He didn’t give up, he reinvented himself. He left behind what wasn’t working and put all his efforts into making himself anew.

That’s not easy, but it’s something many of us have to do.

I have been doing the same. Since I was in junior high school, I wanted to write. I even went to USC Cinema/Television. But over the years I let life get in the way – I’ve covered all this before in other blogs. But the writing bug was still there. So, I started writing again. I joined the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society, volunteered at three writing conferences a year, and joined two critique groups, one for science fiction novels and one for screenplays. This is where I leaned to write and got feedback from my peers and mentors.

This is where I put all my energy. I’m not interested in climbing the corporate ladder, that doesn’t work for me. I need to be creative. So, I’ve spent thousands of hours writing on the weekdays and critiquing on the weekends. This is the life I want, to be a writer, and I’m willing to put the work into it.

I’m not ready to completely let go of my old life yet, I still need my day job. But like Leif Garrett, I’m reaching for the sun with fresh aspirations.

Kris has cut off Leif Garrett’s old, dying leaves (I wish I had gotten a picture before she did that). Now, he is putting all his effort into his new life. I’m doing that, too. I’ve put out my first leaf. My first novel is ready for a final, professional edit, and when that’s done, I have an agent who wants to see it. Both of these people I met through GLAWS.

My first leaf is up, and just as Leif Garret is working on his second leaf, I’m working on my second novel. We are both reaching up for a new life ahead.

Dennis

277th blog completed.

Second Steampunk novel: 13,256 words. Chapter Four done.

Second Steampunk screenplay: 157 pages.

First Steampunk screenplay: Updated with notes from the novelization.

First Steampunk novel: 77,546 words. Completed until editor reviews it.

Third Steampunk screenplay: 38 pages.

Meet the rest of the Cherry family:

Fern