It's not easy being green

A wonderful person and terrific author had some good news to share. Go here to read about Gena Showalter's four new sales. She's incredibly prolific and talented and deserves everything she gets. I am genuinely happy for her success.

And yet I have to be honest about the five to ten minutes I spent stewing in envy juice. For a variety of reasons, I didn't have any books out last year, only have one coming out this year and though two are scheduled for 2007, they aren't written yet. And here Gena is, like one of the Acadian aliens she writes about, with some 7 books out this year alone.

Why can't I write as fast as she does? Why can't I come up with innovative premises, why can't I sell as well, why can't I (fill in the blank]?Why can't I be happy and grateful for what I have and what I'm able to do?

After taking a deep breath - and rereading some of my book reviews- I closed my eyes, opened my heart and sent positive thoughts out into the Universe for Gena's hard work and good fortune. And got back to my own manuscript. My Creative Partner, Lisa, sent me this story today and it couldn't have come at a better time:

One evening an old Indian told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, consideration and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather "Which wolf wins?"

The old Indian simply replied, "The one you feed."