Don't Stop Believin'!

Don't Stop Believin' !
They say a journey starts with a single step...

Nancy Wakeley
Nov 01, 2024
So, yes, I’m stealing the title of an iconic song by Journey—but as I relistened to it just now, I thought it would be a nice lead-in to what I want to say today.
If you are just starting out on your writing journey, or any other type of creative passion for that matter, “Don’t Stop Believin’”! Take that first step and you will get there.
My writing journey did start with a single step, a single AHA moment when I actually thought I might be able to do this thing…but before that…way before that…came the love and the simple joy of reading. I am dating myself but the first authors I read as a teenager were books by Mary Stewart, Phyllis Whitney, and Victoria Holt. Mysteries, romance, exotic locales, and beautiful prose. Even the titles of Stewart’s books take me back to those days of searching our small-town library for the latest offerings from my favorite authors and being mesmerized by every word when I got the book home: Madam, Will You Talk; Wildfire at Midnight; Thunder on the Right; This Rough Magic. Is it any wonder I recall these books fondly with titles like these?

Fast forward, thirty-some years later, when my daughter went off to college, I thought, why don’t I give it a try…I have nothing to lose, right? I never lost anything. But what I gained by writing—and learning the craft of writing—was more than I could have ever expected.
Follow me for more of the Writing Inspired journey!

“Turning the Page”What I’m reading now and what’s next!
I usually have two books going at once—one will be my “upstairs” book and the other is my “downstairs” book which is all pretty self-explanatory but the “upstairs” book is for reading before I turn out the lights and the “downstairs” book is for —well, for any other time of the day that I can get a minute to read!
Rhys Bowen—Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (Her Royal Spyness #12)This week my upstairs book is a wonderful mystery by Rhys Bowen; this is the 12th book in Her Royal Spyness Mysteries (and my first book by her) so I have started at the wrong end of things, but I am enjoying it anyway. I don’t think I have lost anything by starting here—I’ll definitely go back and read the others!
C.J. Box—Storm Watch (Joe Pickett #23)See a trend here? I haven’t read all of the Joe Pickett series either—I brought some home from the library for my husband to read and I like a good story with a strong lead character, adventure and it takes place out west which I like. My taste in novels runs eclectic so I can manage a light cozy and thriller at the same time!
What’s next? I’m sure I will be on the lookout for more cozy mysteries since that is what my next book will be (more on that soon!)
And....
Where you can find me…..You can find me on social media, but I’d love to have you subscribe to my Substack where you’ll find even more content than on X, IG or FB. And my website has everything you need to know about my books and where to get them! So be sure to check that out. (My third book Secrets at Deep Lake is on $.99 special during the month of October!)
‘Tis the season for live book signing events so watch for the details in upcoming posts on social media and here on Substack.
Click here for my website:
X: @nancy_wakeley
Instagram: @nancywakeley2
Facebook: @authornancywakeley
Substack: @nancywakeley1

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