This is the 14th essay in the #26essays2017 challenge that I’ve set for myself this year. I’m doing this because I’m the first to admit I’ve become a lazy writer: allowing guest posts and series and cross-posting to make up the bulk of content on The Diane Lee Project across 2016. The brave, fearless writing that readers admired and respected me for has all but disappeared. This year—2017—will be different. I’m reclaiming my voice—my write like a motherfucker voice! After only a few days in Hanoi, it was painfully obvious that I needed to learn Vietnamese. I could say thank you, and hello (learned from
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Photo by Guiseppe Milo. Used with permission. As regular readers know, I am an avid runner. I started running in 2011, at age 47, not being able to run 50 metres to save myself… or anyone else for that matter! But I made a promise to a dear friend that I would do it and keep doing it, and I have. And while I completed my third official half marathon this year, and plan to do an ultra next year, it hasn’t been easy. There have been injuries along the way that have required rest and rehabilitation. Travel has often rudely
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I have been on this self publishing journey since around this time last year. In October 2014, I decided to take myself down the self publishing route because I was tired of waiting to be picked, waiting to be published. I could pick myself—I had the tools, and I could learn what I didn’t know how to do. So I did. I learned how to format ebooks, how to design (and redesign covers), the importance of front and back matter, and why a launch is crucial. I learned about beta readers and Kindle Select and free days and promotions and reviews. I
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Reading Attached was a revelation. For the first time in my adult life, I felt empowered and in control of my relationship choices. As a result, I reactivated my online dating profile, keen to practise the “screening out of avoidants” I learned from reading the book, and get cracking with finally finding myself a mister. I’ve never been sold on online dating mainly because I find it an unnatural way to meet anyone. You’re missing important cues about the person like body language, eye contact, verbal intonation, carriage and manner, dental hygiene, shoe choice and smell (yes, pheromones play an
Continue reading...I knew nothing about self publishing when I decided to book this blog and publish it as the Love & Other Brave Acts. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Actually, that’s not true. I knew nothing about self publishing (other than: I’m quite IT savvy so how hard could it be?) and a bit about publishing (as in: I’ve been rejected by both major and minor publishers alike, and I read published books). What I did know was that I wanted to publish and more importantly, with the tools that are currently available, could publish. And publish I did. Two books down and
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