It’s not the size of the dog in the fight…
…it’s the size of their balls.
So, I tweaked the old saying a bit. We’ve all heard the original, how it’s the size of the fight in the dog, but not until recently did I apply it to myself.
A friend and I were emailing back and forth. She told me a funny scary story about her dog, Lass, and the trouble she got into. Apparently, 30-pound Lass likes to chase 300-pound bears when they go on hikes (which rhymes with Yikes!). Have you ever seen such a thing?
After laughing watching the video my friend shot with her cell phone, it made me wonder how big Lass’s non-existent balls were. I mean, I weigh a teeny bit (cough-cough) over 30 pounds, and I would never go after a freaking bear.
One word holds the difference between Lass the Bear Chaser and I:
Confidence
Back when I was a new author who happily penned my weird original material, I owned confidence by the bucketfuls. Isn’t that the beauty of innocence? Nobody ever told me that shapeshifting centaurs were a niche genre.
Just like nobody told Lass she was smaller than the bear.
Confidence was my friend … until gravity made things fall. Things such as sales ranking, for instance.
I wish I were more like Lass and go chase that damn bear! Go balls out, bark my loudest, and not let fear enter the game. Maybe the best way to channel my inner Lass is to write like I used to, being creatively naïve, and fly the middle finger at gravity.
I’ll bark at the freaking 300-pound bear!
Go forth and be bold today, friends.
And may your balls be large.
XO,
Sheri
I read this blog last night before bed and I spent a solid hour thinking about all the times the brain weasels found a way to burrow into my inner voice. There were too many to count. One, however, stood out. Once upon a time, I wrote fanfiction. I was a stupidly young age, though I didn’t put my age anywhere online, and I thought I would try to write a spicy scene. It was my first one and I’d never experienced anything spicy before in my life outside of reading the dirty magazines my dad didn’t hide well at… Read more »
For most people, it’s easy to believe the “bad” about ourselves over the good. Double that when we’re young and trying our damnedest to fit in. Though the commenters on your piece didn’t know your age, that didn’t give them an excuse to tear into your work like that. I hope it gave them the five minutes of power they were searching for. Those types of people will only feel good about themselves when they’re putting someone down. Such a sad way to live. So give your battle cry, Sebrina! Fly that finger high and proud! Then think of great… Read more »
Bold with broad shoulders! You need them as an author. 🙂
I’m working on the broad shoulder thing. After nearly 15 years, one would think I’d have this down pat but, no. I jealously watch authors whose shoulders are strong take a direct hit on the chin and not even flinch. To me, that’s amazing.
You have the best, most courageous set of balls! LOL And shapeshifting centaurs may be a niche genre, but to this day, I say you are one of THE most skilled, inventive and talented writers I have ever edited.
Leanore Elliott – you have always been there since the day I published. When the epub house quickly folded within months, you swooped in like an avenging superhero angel and led me out of the muck. You’re a sister from another mister and Cowboy loves your stories. More than mine. He wants me to find all of them so we can read them together at night. Hehehe. Yeah, I’ll be touch soon. Love ya, Miss Naughty!! Thank you for the encouragement.