The Omnibus Has Landed

Spectras Arise Trilogy: Omnibus Edition

The trilogy became Amazon's #1 best-seller in Science Fiction Military over Memorial Day weekend. Not bad for a story that began as a humble firefight in my head while out on a run in Oregon's pouring rain about seven years ago. Thanks to all my readers who made these books a success (and who put me on the same Science Fiction best-seller page as one of my all-time favorite authors, Neal Stephenson).

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Some Days, the Bear Eats You

You just finished that latest novel that’s been burning a hole in your brain for the last six months. You toss off the final “the end,” leave it in the virtual drawer for a couple of weeks (or hours), and then go back, look it over, analyze your flaws and errors, plot, characters, word choices, conflicts, all of it. And finally, after draft two (or ten), you think it’s time to send it out to some first readers. And you wait.And then…no one likes it.That’s right. You sit yourself down, look at all your readers’ notes and feedback and desperate attempts not to crush your spirit, and you finally have to face reality. Your book sucks, it’s boring, it doesn’t make sense, and for godiva’s sake, why are there yetis in space?—or put another way, some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you.So then what? Do you cry, moan, doubt yourself, realize that your dream of being a novelist is akin to dreaming of growing up to be Darth Vader, but with a less vaginal-looking helmet? Do you forsake your inner voice and promise to never again write a word in fun? From here on out, technical manuals only, period, the end.Or do you smile and swallow that delicious, perfectly baked humble pie made especially for you, and think about just how fantastically grateful you are? Grateful, you say, but why? Because, think about it—writing is fun! Because now you know without a shadow of a doubt not only that your book is indeed imperfect, but also why. And guess what? You now have everything you need to jump back into that marvelous mess you’ve created and do more of what you love. You were given permission, nay, encouragement to go back to the playground and play yourself silly. You, my friend, get to keep writing, and that’s exactly what you wanted all along. Hooray, Writer!And that bear that’s been nibbling on you? That guy is just your inner voice, reminding you that no one gets it right all the time, and showing a little backbone and tenacity is what makes you better than you were. Instead of being eaten by the bear, you are the bear.Now go out and roar.

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What I Know Is…: Reflections on Being a Writer

April 2014 will mark my second year as a published independent author. A huge milestone, really, especially when I didn’t celebrate my first year because I was frantically prepping my third novel for release at the time and barely noticed the anniversary. And a doubly-huge milestone when one considers that I wrote my first several-thousand word story when I was in fifth grade. (It was a horror story about the babysitter getting slashed to ribbons and the children being abducted. Fortunately, my parents and my babysitter never read it). All that to say, this month marks my 1.5 year publication anniversary, and the first time since it all began that I have a moment to give this adventure some (over?)due reflection.The thing about being a writer, as I was discussing with a brilliant writer friend of mine yesterday, Sezin Koehler, is that you never feel quite right unless you’re writing. If a day goes by that words have not spilled from your brainmeats onto a page, you begin to harbor insidious thoughts about the possibility that you’re a failure, that you don’t have what it takes to cut it as an author, that you are just faking it. It may be a scientific fact that the only time writers feels that we qualify as full members of the human race is when we are actually writing. Not when we “have written” or “are planning the next book,” but when our fingers are actually tapping on the keyboard or moving a pen over a page.(Which, incidentally, may also be why so many of us also blog when we’re not working on a creative piece. It’s validation, even if the results are little more than instances of embarrassing oversharing.)Given this subjective fact (get it? subjective fact? haha, um…), I can state with zen-soaked certainty that my experiences in the writing world have proved beyond a doubt that I am a writer. Okay, let me back up and explain that somewhat circular statement.The reasons people write are legion. But for those who write and publish, whether traditionally or nontraditionally (though these definitions will become somewhat more fluid over the next few years, I predict), the reasons may be more limited. There’s the obvious “I want to make tons of dough” and “I feel like this story needs to be heard,” or even more simply “My parents ignored me as a child so now I want ALL the attention.” Then there’s the more subtle “I think this concept can be commercially successful, so I want to give it a go” and “It doesn’t matter if not a lot of people buy it, I’m just having fun.” Yea verily, the common denominator for those who publish is the hope for an audience.And so, as happens to many authors who publish (and more who self-publish), where does that leave us when the audience is either absent or very small, quiet, and/or invisible? I will tell you where that leaves us—at the reflecting pool. You know, the one bubbling with starving piranhas.My reason for publishing my books was somewhere within the “I think this concept can be commercially successful, so I want to give it a go” and “It doesn’t matter if not a lot of people buy it, I’m just having fun” range. And while I have had limited commercial or financial success with my books, I can say without a nanosecond of hesitation that choosing to make my writing public has heaped on me some of the greatest rewards a person like me could experience. The sense of satisfaction one receives from the sincerely meant praise of complete strangers about one’s words is nearly equivalent to being handed the keys to paradise. Really. What more could a writer hope for?So, upon reflecting on the last eighteen months of being published and the few hundred dollars I’ve earned, the thing that brings my arse back to my seat and positions my fingers over the keyboard every morning is not an expectation that I must create the next Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings novels, but, simply, because I love to write. I am a writer.How about you, dear writers, why do you write?PS: You're welcome to read my review of Sezin's first novel, American Monsters, here.

Welcome to the Suck

Hello Blogoliscious. I haven't posted anything in a few days. Thought I'd bring you up to date on what's new in the Spectras trilogy. Acts 1 & 2 of Contract of War are first-drafted. And now, I agonize over Act 3. Here's what I've come up with so far.

And I don't even write romance or erotica. *le sigh* (The above is just a joke, btw. Attempting to keep myself amused until my brainmeats recharge.)

On the plus side, just found out one of my lovely clients put me in her last release's acknowledgments. Yay! It made my day. Thank you, Traci!

Everyone Loves an Award!

It just tickles me titian to have been selected by the talented talebearer Michael Fedison, author of the YA novel the Eye-Dancers, for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Thank millions for the shout out, Michael! As all of us writers know, it's one thing to have a single, affable, tame idea to pen, it's quite another to rein in the myriad whimsies and inspirations of our imaginations that constantly squabble and vie with each other for a chance to be "born," as it were, unto the blank page. Fortunately, the invention of the web log has provided us a safe haven for the wildly incompatible ideas whirling within our brain meats, and thus, the much-cherished poignancy of being recognized as a versatile and inspiring blogger.As an honoree, here are the steps for joining the Very Inspiring Blogger Award rollsTo thank and link the blogger that has nominated you.Then post the award logo to your blog.Write a post on the nomination and nominate 15(ish) other very inspiring bloggers.Notify them and then tell seven things about yourself.My nominees in random orderFirst and foremost, my athletic, artistic, talented, incredible and amazing partner the Amazing Hip.Two magnificent, talented, and inspring authors and friends Susan Spann and Molly Greene.The indefatigable indexer of all things science fiction and friend Twisted SciFi.com.The ever informative and astute friend and science fiction/fantasy author Dale Ivan Smith.The funny and musically hip friend and YA author L.W. Patricks.A man with impeccable taste in books (*wink*), friend, and steampunk/paranormal author Scott Whitmore.A woman of amazing depth, insight, talent and vision, friend and author Sezin Koehler.There are so many, many more people I would add to this list, but my tragically over-active thinking wheels are ready to spin off to the next thing. But to finish the steps, here are seven things of note (or good blackmail material) about me.

1. 2012 has been the most fantastic and meaningful year of my life, and, given the fact that we are still here despite it being the dreaded End of Days à la the Mayan calendar, I am unimaginably grateful for the many gifts I've been given.
2. On a lighter note, I finally quit mis-spelling the word "occasionally."
3. I discovered the band Lamb this year and can't recommend them more highly.
4. I've set a goal to run my first trail marathon in 2013. Stay tuned for many tales of suffering and angst. Or maybe show reviews.
5. I only grieved for a few days about the Lance Armstrong cataclysm. There will always be Cadel. (I hope!)
6. Oh, and 2013 will see the release of my second novel in the Spectras Arise Trilogy, Contract of Betrayal. The cover art is already complete and I am GIDDY about it.
7. I'll also finish outlining the final half of a paranormal/thriller novel I'm halfway through writing and outlining the third novel in the Spectras Arise Trilogy this coming year. I'm hoping for the inspiration I've been lucky enough to corral lately continues, and I wish for the same running-over cup for you all!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

From Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's Conference, With Love

There are almost as many reasons people write as there are writers. Some of us can't sleep for the voices in our heads and must exorcise them through the written word (schizos); some of us have a love for spinning a good yarn (wordos); others appreciate the attention of having their inner-most psyche laid bare to complete strangers (narcissists); some want to make money and have decided to use their grasp of the written word to do so (dreamers); others are just looking for a mobile hobby (pragmatists); and the list goes on and on.Yet the thing that rings truest as one of the biggest reasons to write, at least for this word nerd, is the hugely validating joy and fun of getting to hang out with a bunch of other writers at a writing conference. The validation comes from the (re)discovery that we writers, with all of our quirks and quibbles, are a truly ubiquitous bunch, and we are EVERYWHERE. Finding the tribe; sharing the stories from the trenches; learning the strategies and practices that have worked for others; being reminded that we are never alone (despite the fact that we sometimes feel we are when we lock ourselves in the closet with our laptops and dimmed lights), and that if ever need support, it's just a tweet or a phone call away; that we have friends who have experienced the depths of despair of being stuck on a storyline and lived through it, and who have an extra flashlight to help us out if we need it; these are the validations and joys that keep me writing, and that make all the suffering hard work worth it. And heck, what can be more inspiring than sitting in a room filled with a couple hundred other authors, agents, editors, and publishers, all successful in the writing business in one way or another? THAT is a huge joy in and of itself.This is my second year at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's Conference, and I won't miss another one, that is for sure. The friends I made here two years ago, such as Susan Spann and Piper Bayard, will last a lifetime, and the new friends I made this year, such as Kirt Hickman, Christopher Pitchford, Theresa Crater, and Cari Z, will continue to inspire and motivate me for another year.And now it's gush time. Two years ago, I had the amazing honor of winning an award at the RMFW Colorado Gold Contest. Susan was the first person I met at the conference and we were sitting together when the winners were announced. Having a new writer buddy to share that incredible moment with was one of the highlights of my writing life. This year, I had the great privilege and joy of being able to witness Susan win her own award: the PEN Award for new first sale authors. For those who don't know, Susan has a three-book deal with St. Martins Press for a Shinobi mystery series. (How freakin' cool is that?) Her first book, The Claws of the Cat, comes out July 16th. Watch this space for more info. That moment that Susan took the stage and held her first literary award will be emblazoned in my mind forever! Susan has been a hardworking author, mentor, publishing guru, and all around wonderful friend, and there is nothing more exciting than to see someone who deserves it finally get their reward. Congratulations, Susan, and thanks for letting me bask in your glow this year!So it is with the memory and gratitude of being able to participate in such a monumental writing conference that my fully recharged writing batteries and I will eagerly jump into another year honing the craft. I'll be releasing my second novel, Contract of Betrayal, in Spring of 2013, and am more than ready to tackle the final revisions with a fresh mind and a joyous heart (despite the fact that (or maybe because of it...) there TONS of explosions and a high body count in it. But whatev, those who know me know that that's how I roll).Also, please read more about the benefits and fun times to be had while attending writing conferences over at my friend Dale Ivan Smith's blog.As Hard Harry Hard On might have said if he were actually the Eat Me, Beat Me lady: Write hard![youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuhHPQxS2nQ&w=560&h=315]

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

Contract of Defiance is a Finalist!

Great news to wake up to this morning. Contract of Defiance is named a top 5 Finalist in the 2012 Kindle Book Review Best Indie Book Contest for Science Fiction/Fantasy. Yay! Nothing makes writing more gratifying than getting a good review and being highly ranked in a contest. It's incredibly validating. My friend and stellar contemporary fiction/mystery writer, Molly Greene, recently did a two-part blog series on how and why to enter contests that are well worth the read, here and here.So hats off to myself and the four other finalists! The winner will be announced in October, but as far as I am concerned, we were all winners when we entered the contest.SCI-FI/FANTASY…Bypass Gemini by Joseph LalloContract of Defiance by Tammy SalyerDremiks by Cassandra DavisThe Darkening Dream by Andy GavinWool Omnibus by Hugh Howey

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

For the Ones We Lean On

We all have that one friend. You know the one I'm talking about. The one that's known us almost forever, the one we've been through the thickest and the thinnest of all things with. That OLD friend who laughed at us when we knocked ourself unconscious in jump school and will NEVER let us live it down (I was merely dazed, dammit!). The friend who knows our most embarrassing secrets, but who will never out us, no matter how much it pains them not to. That friend who, when they wrecked our truck (step one: engage parking brake, step two: put vehicle in neutral, step three: only THEN should you exit), not only paid to have it fixed, but bought us an expensive bottle of single-malt to help drown the disappointment. That friend that knows the perfect gift for an airborne soldier is a flask with our jump wings and nickname engraved on it (Tigger? Really? Just because I sing a lot of Winnie the Pooh songs...). That friend that sends us an amazing "just married" package full of soju and other sundries all the way from Korea in celebration of our wedding (not sure if soju should be considered a gift, actually). The one who never forgets our birthday, mostly to make us feel guilty for always forgetting theirs. The one who readily trusts us and tosses us their car keys when we volunteer to be the designated driver during yet another raucously debauched evening at Ft. Benning--despite the fact that driving a sedan full of drunken grunts around all night is no one's idea of a good time--and who we know wouldn't hesitate to do the same for us. The one we feel utterly comfortable cavorting around the woods with in nothing but our skivvies during a backpacking trip after an Oregon deluge has soaked everything we own into sodden piles of muck. The one who has no problem running headlong into the black ocean in the middle of the night with us to escape the sadistic and deranged North Carolinian sand fleas. The one who "gets" our fetish for Aussie accents and swears he'd get the numbers of all the Aussie SF gents his company links up with in Afghanistan for us if we were still single, and we know he really would. The one who, while visiting his three girlfriends in Moscow, still manages to find the time to pick us up a bottle of the best Russian Standard we'll ever drink. That one who could win awards for the way he swings to the Cherry Poppin' Daddies. That friend who taught us that the quickest and most effective remedy for a hangover is five mile tempo run. The one who has already served a tour in Iraq and whose whole family is no stranger to service and combat; who's brother worked at the Pentagon; whose father was a Special Forces soldier in Laos during the Vietnam War; whose mother experienced first hand the trials and deprivations of Vietnam's occupation by first the French then by Communist forces; yet he still volunteers to make the hard choice and step up for yet another combat tour in the name of his values and country. The friend that insists on helping us clean up the destruction of our house after a full night of partying despite the fact that we both have quadruple vision and have to lean on each other just to stay upright.And that's the friend I'm talking about today, peeps. The one I've leaned on for over fifteen years, and who, during the last eleven years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, this whole country has. This post is in honor of my friend Al Dupre, his unit, Alpha Company, 1st of the 285th ARB, Arizona National Guard, who shipped out today for a nine month tour of Afghanistan, and all those who have served and are currently serving in one of the five US military branches. We all have loved ones and friends who've served in the two wars of Iraq and Afghanistan and, no matter what our opinions of these wars, we owe it to these courageous people for being willing to literally put themselves in front of bullets to keep us safe. In celebration of this year's Fourth of July holiday, I encourage everyone to send kind and supportive messages to your loved ones and friends serving our country, and remember that it is in no small manner thanks to their bravery, courage, and integrity that we are the nation we are.PS: Apologies for the somberness of this post. Next time, I promise to write something funny. Funny in the way 40 Year Old Virgin would be if David Fincher or Christopher Nolan had directed it. You've been warned.

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

I Need a Gardner

This is just a short post to mention the greatest, biggest, greenest news happening this week. MOVING! Yay! Mr. Universally Talented and I have adopted not only an amazing house, but also an amazing garden. There will be mud. And also pears, strawberries, apples, plums, grapes, apricots, gooseberries, raspberries, garlic, herbs, and whatever else we find back there. Whew! Now I just have to learn to can.A few images. I'll be back to the inter-tubes as soon as the dust settles.[slideshow]

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

Writing Advice from Paolo Bacigalupi

Had a pretty awesome experience this week when I logged into Twitter just to see what was happening in my twitterfriendverse. Turns out, it was moments until a live chat with the one, the only Paolo Bacigalupi, hosted by Little, Brown School, part of Hatchette Publishing. There may or may not have been embarrassing squee's of joy and excitement emitting from my office.For those who don't know, Bacigalupi is amazingly cool for two reasons: he's a Coloradan, and he also happened to win both the Nebula and the Hugo awards for his breakout novel the Windup Girl in 2010.From Amazon.com, about the Windup Girl:

Anderson Lake is a company man, AgriGen's Calorie Man in Thailand. Under cover as a factory manager, Anderson combs Bangkok's street markets in search of foodstuffs thought to be extinct, hoping to reap the bounty of history's lost calories. There, he encounters Emiko. Emiko is the Windup Girl, a strange and beautiful creature. One of the New People, Emiko is not human; instead, she is an engineered being, creche-grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by others, New People are slaves, soldiers, and toys of the rich in a chilling near future in which calorie companies rule the world, the oil age has passed, and the side effects of bio-engineered plagues run rampant across the globe. What happens when calories become currency? What happens when bio-terrorism becomes a tool for corporate profits, when said bio-terrorism's genetic drift forces mankind to the cusp of post-human evolution? In The Windup Girl, award-winning author Paolo Bacigalupi returns to the world of The Calorie Man; (Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award-winner, Hugo Award nominee, 2006) and Yellow Card Man (Hugo Award nominee, 2007) in order to address these poignant questions.

Side note: Don't read this novel if you really like elephants. However, to find out why you shouldn't, you'll have to read it. *shrug*Needless to say, his writing style is gritty; it's dark; it's daring; it's complex; and it's rich. He's been compared to early William Gibson and Ian McDonald with the intensity of his vision. The Windup Girl was one of those rare books that captures you on the first page by eliciting a mixture of fascinated horror and eager curiosity. Am I gushing? If you're a fan of dystopian fiction and you give Windup a chance, you'll soon see why.So, back to last week. Paolo is on tour promoting his newest novel the Drowned Cities and graciously made himself available for questions about the novel and writing in general. After getting over my bashful hero-worship (bashful? me? haha!), I posed the following question: You mentioned in a Westword interview a couple of years ago that you'd struggled for awhile to become successful as a writer. Do you have any advice on how to make that struggle easier for new writers?Take heed fellow writers, the master hath spoken.Paolo: For me, being able to writer boils down to recognizing what's important to me, and then being brave enough to do it. And to completely let go of worries about whether something will sell or whether other people will like it. It's hard. Also, finish what you start, no matter how stupid it seems in the moment. Everyone goes through lost faith moments. Relentlessness pays off if you're learning along the way. Tenaciousness matters for writers. It took me thirteen years to break in, and four failed novels. It's hard work. You have to enjoy the act of writing. It's the one thing you really have control over. Everything else, you just have to work at it and hope.In a nutshell: bravery, letting go of fear and worries, being willing to work hard, relentlessness, tenaciousness, loving what you do, and not losing hope. That's it! So easy! I just can't imagine why everyone doesn't write! After all, it's about as easy as becoming a samurai or an exorcist.And, of course, the beauty of being a writer, and secret as to why so many of us continue doing it, is that you really can become a samurai or an exorcist (or any damn thing you want) on the page. In other words, the satisfaction of well-written words makes the struggle worth it. If you find yourself facing any of the obstacles Paolo mentioned, just think of him as a shining, brilliant example. Thirteen years of struggle doesn't make you a failure; it can make you a success.For more tips on becoming a successful writer, I also recommend Lindsay Buroker's recent post Three Tips for Self-Publishing Success.

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

Debut Novel Announcement: Contract of Defiance

Wow, I don't really know what else to say, except that my novel, Contract of Defiance, is finally out. This little labor of love has been a work in progress since December 12th, 2005 (yep, I remember the day I started working on it), and has gone from a red-faced screaming infant, to a well-mannered (sorta), groomed, and presentable adult. Please visit my blog page to read more about it. For an insider peek at what the process of writing this novel has been like, my very good friend and mystery author, Susan Spann, has posted a conversation/interview between us on her amazingly informative blog. We study the ideas that form and differences between science fiction and speculative fiction, and take a deeper look into genres and how to make them fit.It's a great day! Hope everyone enjoys it and has the time to sink your teeth into whatever it is you love to read!

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

Cops Are Nice. Who Knew?

Please disregard the flippant title of this post. It's just attention-seeking behavior. But seriously, after the day I've had, I just want to say that I will never again make snide comments about cops that are unwarranted (the warranted ones will continue, unabated).The reason? It's easy. I just spent two days in Vail attending a Safe Schools seminar. Upon arrival on Thursday afternoon, I parked my car and forgot about it. This morning, two rather emotional-packed days later (it's hard not to get teary-eyed when hearing stories from father's whose children were victims of school shootings--by other children. I'll be doing another post on this soon.), I hopped in to find my battery dead. Expletives followed--those who know me can well imagine the variety and creativity of said expletives--then reason returned and I set out to find someone who might be able to give me a jump.Lo and behold, just across from me was an officer getting into his Windsor Police Suburban. Perhaps it's due to my rampant juvenile delinquency or an innate and deeply-ingrained cynical distrust of authority, but I've never trusted or appreciated people in uniform (yes, you may laugh at the irony). But I figured what the hell? It was almost a certainty that this gentlemen would have jumper cables, and, my hopeful mind reasoned, isn't it a cop's duty to help those in need, or something?So I asked for his help and not only was he willing, but absolutely happy to. Wow. I've never felt so simultaneously silly for leaving my lights on, chagrined for all the senselessly zealous anti-cop statements I've made, and exuberantly grateful. It was a fun mix of emotions, let me tell you.I just wanted to give a shout out to Officer Lopez from Ft. Collins for being so awesome and helpful today--and all people who go out of their way, even inconvenience themselves, to lend a hand to someone who needs it. He's about to become the School Safety Office and had gone through the same two days of training as I. I've no doubt he was just as anxious to hit the road and get home to his two year old and wife, but he took the time to quickly and cheerfully help a chick out. How fantastic.To top it all off, when I stopped for lunch at Quizno's, guess what I discovered after I had already ordered? Yup, forgot my wallet. But you know what the Quizno's guy said? Don't worry about it, just pay for it next time you're in. It has certainly been my day for good fortune!I'm working on paying that good karma bill already and just let my own neighbor know he'd left his lights on. Even if no one had lent me a much needed hand today, there's one thing I can say for sure: it feels damn good to do others a favor when you can.

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

A Room with a View

The first year of living in Boulder has passed like a quiet wind. I can hardly believe how quickly the time has gone by. And now I have another benchmark to celebrate: the first two weeks at my new job.In the last year, it has been a rocky road to finding a "day job" that would bring me both the kind of satisfaction and salary I need to replace the thrills and chills that I get from my "night job" and true love, which is of course, writing. I've been in that awkward limbo of having the time to do what I want, but the fun of it being tempered by the uncertainty and instability that comes from having less income. I have to confess that I have not explored the east side of the Rockies to any great extent in the last year, despite the time that I've had. Mostly because I'm a slave to my brain and spend so many hours writing, or researching what I plan to be writing. But it's also because I lived on the western slope for a couple of years and did gads of exploring there. The beauty and majesty of western Colorado and eastern Utah still linger with me and I have a nostalgia about that area that I'm afraid to ruin. Silly, I know, but there it is.So anyway, the job thing. I've begun working for the Institute of Behavioral Science at CU and loving it. Of course, I mourn the lost hours of the day where I was previously writing, but there is definitely something to be said for having a healthy salary and, get this, my own office! Yeah, I know it's kind of a shallow thing to be enthused about, but I've never had my own office. And one with a view overlooking Boulder at that, so I'm a little titillated about it. The CU campus is incredibly lovely and such a pleasant place to work. Boulder has been really, really good to me, and I'm still on that gratitude kick I wrote about a few weeks ago.Here are a few pictures I took with my iPhone while walking around campus. Sorry, I don't know the names of the buildings yet...

I walk through here everyday to work. There are turtles!

My office, pre-decoration. The only complaint I have is I'm stuck using PCs again. Oh well.

Yes, that's the office's espresso machine. Oh yeah!

One of the new IBS building's gathering spots. It's a great place to work.

My view.

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.

Thoughts on Gratitude

Finn: Grateful for a Good Nap

Hi folks. I’ve let the blog languish for the usual couple of weeks without any new posts, which is becoming a trend. I’m a person that has to ruminate on a thought for a great amount of time before I’m ready to put it out for the rest of the world, so that kind of explains it. And of course the other reason I haven’t posted anything in so long is because I’m just constantly, inevitably, overwhelmingly busy. Maybe if I was faster and could run more than 12 or so miles in two hours, I’d have more time write. I’ll work on that.

There’s a little topic that’s been whirling around my brain for about the last three months, and I think it’s finally time to let it out. That topic is a simple emotion that many of us often feel, but maybe you, like me, have a hard time knowing how to express it. That feeling is gratitude. Make that Gratitude, with a capital G.

I admit that when Mr. Universally Talented proposed the idea of moving to Boulder a little over a year ago that I was both reticent and skeptical of the idea. Eugene is / was home, is / was comfortable, and is / was rather dull (after almost twenty years). The idea of moving to a new place, with a reputation such as Boulder has, was hard to swallow due to the myriad unknowns. Where would we live? What would job prospects look like? How would we adjust with the leaving behind of so many friends? You know, just those little things.

But I have to say, moving here has been like stepping through a doorway into a party where you’re the guest of honor. I have met some of the most warm and caring people in the world, been welcomed by some truly amazing opportunities, and yes, even have had some of the most gratifying writing experiences a girl could wish for. In the eleven months since moving to Boulder, I’ve gone from having one finished novel, to two, and from being an unpublished writer, to a published one. This has been a dream of mine for years, and it’s finally come true. It has been absolutely grand.

For all of these things, I am utterly grateful. There is something particularly sweet about jumping off a ledge, giving up all comforts and stability, and letting the universe decide whether to let you fall or to catch you. When it catches you, it makes you realize how very, very lucky and privileged you are. And it also makes you want to share what it’s like to feel that good.

If gratitude were a color it would be mint green. If it were a flavor it would be praline ice cream. If it were a smell, it would be peaty Islay scotch. It’s one of those emotions that is totally freeing, that makes you feel as if you could run a marathon with winged feet and carry everyone you love along with you. Gratitude is encompassing, warm, sweet and wonderful. It is a joy so compelling that you want to spread it around and do good things for others so they can experience the same happiness. Gratitude is something to share.

So, forgive the sappy post, but I wanted to let everyone know what’s been going on out here in these yonder parts. I hope that maybe sharing some of my good news will be an invitation to everyone to share some of their own. Tell me about the good things in your lives, from joys experienced with friends and loved ones, to even the simple comforts, like chocolate and a tasty bottle of wine.

Speaking of chocolate and wine--I think it's time for some Lindt Chili Chocolate bar (which really compliments a good Merlot).

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All content copyright unless otherwise specified © 2008-2013 by Tammy Salyer, writer. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to use short quotes provided proper attribution is given.