On 8 November 2005 I began the longest story I had ever written in my life. This began with 70,000 words for the first book. The longest I had written before consisted of a mere twenty-two pages. The last ten years had been focused on poetry, and a novel was only something I read. At the time I felt the task was beyond my comprehension. Poems are complicated things. They can be shorter than a page whereas a novel was many times more than that. I had made a few small attempts at short stories yet my heart and love had always been in poetry.
Friendship
My friend Liska told me she had a dream, she wanted to own a business and work for herself. She had her heart set on running a café, and went on to run a successful cleaning business. We were talking over a cup of coffee (in my case tea), and she asked me what my dream was in life. That is the first time I had ever given my thoughts a voice. I said I wanted to write a novel. Liska encouraged me to follow my dream. That is how I found myself on 8 November 2005 in front of my computer screen.
A Novel
The first chapter was awful and had to be removed. The first protagonist died in the first major scene. I was off to a wonderful start. Trying to fit in writing, full-time work, part-time university, and everything else. Then disaster struck for the second time. I had planned on writing a 150,000 word epic fantasy novel. It was to be published in my retirement. Halfway through my heart gave way, and my whole life changed. I slept four months away after the hospital stay. I have been re-building my life ever since. I have a swollen heart and life is as good as it will ever be with this condition. I wrote the end at 70,000 plus words after I was home from hospital, and I always cry when I read it. It may not be much, but it marks that point in my life.
Publishing
I independently published my first book too soon. I am in the middle of preparing to re-release it. I published it not knowing if it would be the last. I am glad to say it will not be with the second already released. A third is at the last stages of editing, and a fourth already begun. Independent publishing gives me the ability to go at my pace. It has been a long journey, and I intend it to be the beginning of so much more.
If there is one question I ask you, it is this – What is your dream in life?
Chantelle Griffin 
Reblogged this on Being Southern Somewhere Else and commented:
Dreams may not manifest the way we expect as we pursue them. That’s a part of life. However, pursuing them is essential, if we wish them to manifest at all.
Thanks ☺️