Santa Cruz, California, October 28th, 2014

Santa Cruz, California, October 28th, 2014

Monday, March 4, 2013

Guest Post with Katie Ganshert!!


Joining us today at TFTR is a great writer who is also one of the NICEST people I've met along the way here in Writerland. Katie has her second novel coming out March 19th, "Wishing on Willows" picks up a few years after the pages closed on "Wildflowers from Winter". 
Katie was gracious enough to not only join us, but to guest post too!

I urge you to pick up a copy of Wishing on Willows when it releases, it's a GREAT read and I also advise you to have a box of tissues nearby. Okay, several boxes. And something to eat, cuz Robin will make you hungry. And grab a coffee, or a tea, oh, and a stick, for whacking Ian for being so charming.

So without further ado, here's Katie!!!



More than a Fringe Benefit

When I set off on my journey toward publication, my goal was singular: get published.

Pursuing that goal has taken a lot of time and commitment and let’s be honest, faith. Because there are no guarantees. So much is outside our control. But I was committed to doing everything I possibly could to make that dream happen.

Seeing my book in the hands of readers would be my reward, my payoff for all the hard work.

And it has been. Hands down, holding my book and hearing from readers is amazing. A gigantic blessing and a huge encouragement.

But there is another reward that has come about as a result of my pursuit. One I never could have expected. One I wasn’t even looking for.

And that is the friendships.

People like Jeannie Campbell and Wendy Miller and Jennifer Major and a myriad of others who I never would have known had I never pursued publication in the first place.

These are people you meet in the trenches.

These are the people who understand that crazy, insane passion that drives us to get up at four in the morning or stay up until two in the morning, all to pen stories, quite often in obscurity.

These people get it.

They share it.

They understand the rejection and the waiting.

They understand the burning desire to share our stories with others.

They understand when we talk about fictional characters as if they are real. They get the flashes of inspiration that come so quick and hot, you have to pull over to the side of the road and write it down on a crumpled up McDonald’s wrapper.

This is what brings us together. This is how these friendships are formed. Writing.
But then, after a few phone calls or emails, it becomes more than writing. And all of a sudden, you have these sisters in Christ, these prayer warriors, these life encouragers we never would have had if we wouldn’t have pursued publication in the first place.

We often talk about how writing is a solitary career. So much of it is spent alone. Just you, a pen and a notebook, or a document on your computer screen.

But I’ve discovered that writing is community.

A brave, welcoming, encouraging community. One that will celebrate with you, struggle with you, and come alongside of you.

Even if I never saw my book on a book shelf, this community makes it all worth it.

Let’s Talk: What unexpected blessings have come about because you are a writer?

16 comments:

  1. I feel the same exact way, Katie. Some of my closest friends are those I've met online and only seen in person maybe once or twice. It's crazy the heart connections that come from pursuing the same dream.

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  2. Thanks for having me, Jennifer! I love knowing you. :)

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    1. I'm SO glad you could come to TFTR and visit, thank you so much!
      I love knowing you too.

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  3. Echoing verything you said, Katie, and everything Linz said in her comment. The best unexpected blessing of being a writer has definitely been the friendships!

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  4. I agree! The friendships have been amazing. Some of my closest friends are the ones I've met through this journey! :)

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  5. Yup--the people make this journey worthwhile!

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  6. Yes, writers are definitely the only ones who can understand those grueling lows and ecstatic highs of writing! And I'm thrilled to know people like you, Katie, and you, Jennifer!

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  7. Thanks for stopping by and reading, ladies! :)

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    1. Katie, thanks for visiting!!
      You put to words what each of us knows in our hearts, that the community is a blessing beyond words, and it makes our words worth so much more than what comes in between the covers of a book.

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  8. Contemporary Romance is not usually my genre of choice; but when I read Katie's first book I knew she was in a league of her own. Such lovely, lyrical style! I immediately made sure that "Wishing on Willows" was on my to-read list. Can wait to read and review this one.

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    1. Wow - thank you Rachel! So very glad you enjoyed Wildflowers and hope you enjoy Willows just as much!

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  9. I couldn't agree with Katie more. I love that so many of these names on your blog are names I've grown to recognize and love over the past year! This community had become one of the most important to me as I trudge on to publication. I love how you put it, Katie - we've met in the trenches. Exactly.

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  10. What a lovely guest blog!

    And a lovely cover for the book, also! Imparts a peaceful feeling, like a summer breeze.

    I feel one of better qualities of all the writers here and over at the Books and Such community, is the talent. Think I mentioned this on someone elses' blog, but it's quite interesting, from a historical perspective, to see this group of writers make their way into the industry, and how they will define it.

    Indeed, consider this: at any other point in literary history, the defining factor in the formation of a literary movement has been geography. Yet here we have some Yanks commenting on a Canadian blog, and I believe someone over at Books and Such said they were from New Zealand, for example. So from that perspective, it is quite interesting to see what unites the differing styles and genres which we all write. We got Romance, Sci-Fi, bearded-professor style literary stuff, Fantasy, magical-realism / surrealists, and so forth. We got folks who write with glitter and fabulous flair, there are those who can get you laughing, those who write on right on like Hemmingway....

    ....yet there is....something.....that brings it together.

    Unified not by geography or style or story, but unified in Christ.

    Hmmm.....community, as Katie has related, seems to be another word for "communion."

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  11. Bless you Katie, I can't wait to read Wishing On Willows. :-)

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