It seems beyond belief to me that The Eye-Dancers blog has been in existence for nearly five years now. The old saying is true–time flies when you’re having fun. It has been a blessing beyond anything I ever imagined interacting with all of you over the past five years. It’s true, of late, this blog has been less active than it used to be, and posts have gradually become fewer and further between. That, however, is temporary, and about to change.
For the past three years, I have been writing the sequel to The Eye-Dancers. And now, at last, that sequel–The Singularity Wheel–is close to completion. There are, literally, fewer than ten pages to go before the first draft is done. This has been a project full of stops and starts, beset with major surgeries midway through, rewrites and revisions galore, and just over the past several months, a wild dash to reach the end. The first draft will be finished before the end of the month, and then it will be time to dot the I’s and cross the T’s, to edit and polish and cut, cut, cut. Indeed, you must “kill your darlings” as Faulkner once said.
So–over the past few months, while concentrating on finishing The Singularity Wheel, I have neglected The Eye-Dancers blog more than I would like. But I needed to buckle down, make the commitment, and complete the writing project. Now, at long lost, that is about to happen. And when it does, I will return to blogging more frequently. I will be sharing much more information about The Singularity Wheel, which has a planned release for this summer, and will gladly get back in the swing of the wonderful WordPress community. I have missed blogging, and I hope you’ll welcome me back when I return in full force within the next few weeks.
Even while being too often AWOL over the past few months, though, I have still been humbled and honored by your encouragement, support, and friendship. Recently, I was nominated for a Blogger Recognition Award. Ipuna Black nominated me for the award just last month, while Dear Kitty nominated me last fall. I wanted to take this time to thank both of you and accept this award. I also encourage everyone to become acquainted with Ipuna’s blog and Kitty’s blog. They are great places to visit, pull up a chair, and stay for a while–and return to again and again.
The rules for The Blogger Recognition Award state that recipients need to explain why and how they started their blog. Well, in my case, I began The Eye-Dancers blog in the summer of 2012, for the primary purpose of “getting the word out” for my then-upcoming novel, The Eye-Dancers. I had never blogged before, had never been on social media–I was a neophyte in the purest sense of the word. I was also nervous. Who was I to tell people to download my book? Who really wanted to read anything I wrote? Was it arrogant to pitch my novel? These questions, and many more, dogged me through the earliest days of this blog.
But as I soon discovered, I had nothing to worry about. Right from the start, the blogosphere was welcoming, warm, kind, and encouraging. What had begun as a means for me to spread the word about my book quickly morphed into a gift of virtual friendships that spanned the globe, an opportunity to hold ongoing, invigorating discussions about writing and the mysteries of the creative process, to connect on tangible, as well as intangible, levels. For me, The Eye-Dancers blog has been a joy. I treasure the friendships I have formed over the years with so many of you.
There is another layer of instruction to The Blogger Recognition Award–and that is to give two pieces of advice for new bloggers. I’m not sure I have anything profound to say here; I can only share two of the best things I learned along the way. The first is–just be yourself. Post about what interests you and what motivates you, and write with honesty and passion. The great readers on WordPress will appreciate your willingness to share. And the second is–don’t be afraid. Don’t hesitate. You might think you don’t have anything special or unique or profound to say, and, amidst the unrelenting doubts, you may choose not to post. Don’t give in to the doubts. You had a reason to start a blog. You have something to say. You have a unique and special point of view. Don’t worry about the topic. Just write whatever you feel compelled to write, and share your thoughts and perspectives with the rest of us.
Now here is where I will break the rules! The Blogger Recognition Award instructs to choose ten other bloggers to nominate for the award. But I want to share this award with all of you–anyone and everyone reading, the friends who have supported me from day one. You are the reason I’m here. You are the reason I love to blog, and can’t wait to return in full force within the next few weeks. I hope many of you will accept this award.
Thank you, Ipuna, and Kitty! I greatly appreciate your nomination!
And thanks so much to everyone for reading.
–Mike
Eye-Dancers 