Doors, Windows, and all that Jazz

It's been 9 months since I packed up shop and moved my family halfway across the US to the middle of nowhere Texas. Honestly, Best Decision Ever!

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At the time I didn't think that was the case. In order to move here, I had to give up a job I loved working in Marketing for a really fantastic children's hospital. And while I was excited about the idea of staying home with my girls (jobs in West TX being scarce) I knew I would miss the challenges of my work and the great relationships with my co-workers.

I found solace in my writing. In January I finally finished my first novel after working on it for 15 months. Apparently, that's all it took to light the fire under my behind. My writing was always something I did quietly for thirty minutes before bed. A way to relax my mind and unwind from the day.

But once I finished, I knew I needed more. And I got it. Since January I have:

1. Joined several critique groups (online and in-person)
2. Fallen in love with the online writing community
3. Became a group moderator on YALITCHAT
4. Polished my novel
5. Queried my novel
6. Written 2 more first drafts
7. Wrote a piece for inclusion in an Anthology
8. Started freelance editing

And as of the start of this week, I am the new Intern/PR Specialist at Corvisiero Literary Agency!

I am so excited about all of these wonderful experiences and can't wait to see what the future holds for me.

Back in January I was nervous and scared and it would have been easy to fall into victim mode. I'm so glad I took advantage of my circumstances to turn something I've always loved (reading and writing) into a whole host of new opportunities.

None of this would have been possible if we hadn't moved. If I was still back at the job I loved, I'd probably still be working on that first novel with absolutely no intention of ever trying to get anything published or be more involved in the literary world.

They say when God closes a door he opens a window. It's a cliche, but it's so frequently cited because it can be so true. Of course, in my case, I feel like He closed a door and opened the flood gates.

So what about you? Have you ever used a negative situation to find something even better for yourself? Are there things you're holding on to that you need to let go of in order to move your career forward. I'd love to hear your stories.