Jax's Artistic Journey...

Mr. Right took me on a day date and we watched this amazing movie. I knew I'd love it but I never knew how much it hit home. I related being in my 30s and feeling as if I didn't know what direction I should go in life. I've always found comfort in food and writing. I'm one of those people who likes to experiment in the kitchen and I tend to throw ingredients together to create something uniquely me. Something I'd want to eat and often the risks were rewarded with yummy Jax cuisine. Thankfully. :) In my head, cooking is like art. It's full of colors and textures and depending on how you work with the items and techniques, they can draw different emotions out of you.

Back to the movie...Julie & Julia is a good example that inspiration can come in different forms. For Julie Powell, her motivation came from a desire to finally complete something in her life--by cooking her way through Julia Child's cookbook--she was able to prove to herself that she could accomplish something.

**If Meryl Streep doesn't get an Oscar nod, I would be really surprised**

As writers, we are constantly talking to our characters. They are, in essence, a living, breathing person in our eyes. In Julie's case, Julia was her mentor, her guide, her support as she cooked meal after meal. Of course there are trials and tribulations, annoyance and discouragement...but she didn't give up. She learned from her mistakes and she learned what she was capable of. I think that blogging was a big motivator and factor. By making herself accountable, she was forced to continue on. For me, it would be meeting my page count goals or I else I would be extremely disappointed in my inability to perform...


When I wrote my first book, I didn't think I could ever finish a novel. I felt so many emotions and often I doubted myself. It's easy to give up, but it takes a brave person to keep going to the end. If I hadn't finished that first manuscript--I would not be where I am today. I would not use all those lessons to improve upon in the future. I would not have a reason to continue if I had not tried regardless of those who didn't have faith in my efforts.

I was speaking to a friend of mine who mentioned that they needed validation. Yes, it's great to have friends as a support system but sometimes we need to get confirmation from outside to make us feel accomplished. What I discovered the past 4 1/2 years is that it really doesn't matter what others think of you. It's really what you think of yourself. It really comes down to one important thing...YOU. I have spent so much of my life trying to please others. Trying to take all the advice and yet at the end of the day, the decision is ultimately mine. If I believe that I am a good writer...really believe...others will too. Writing takes talent and hard work. You can have talent and if you don't have the work ethic, then it's not going to help you. You don't have to have talent, but if you have the patience and tenacity, you will be accomplished. I think that often those who are the most talented take the little things for granted. I've seen it firsthand.

It's when you get kicked down that it becomes a true test of who you are. Nothing easy to achieve is as meaningful as those things that are fought for.

Without the hardships, I would never have learned how strong of an individual that I truly am.