A prominent figure recently made statements about purposes and worth....and what life choices deem some as selfish. It was aimed at men and women, but I'm talking about women for now because it is what I know. I'm not here to debate religion. I am here to say this because I worry that especially for women, the message could be detrimental. I worry that somewhere out there, those words cut deep for someone. Here's the thing: If you mothered children, you are worthy in my book. If you mothered others in any way, you are worthy. If you can't mother in the traditional sense, you are worthy. If you mother as a dog or cat or any other creature mom, you are worthy. If you don't mother in any way at all, you are worthy. Our worth as people and especially women is not solely tied to our mothering qualities. Being a mother is important and admirable. I respect you all. But I also respect those of you who don't feel that calling, that purpose. I respect those of you who are called to it in a non-traditional sense. I respect those of you who love and nurture in different ways. I respect those of you who love and nurture yourself enough to chase the life that is right for you. There is nothing selfish or detrimental or shameful about living your own purpose, your own life, and your own calling....whatever that looks like. It takes all types, all beliefs, all values, and all pathways to make this world a better place, in my opinion. Never follow the pathway that you feel you must. Follow the one that sets your heart on fire. And yes, I am in the dog mom only category....and proud of it. To those who have ever loved a dog, you know there is nothing selfish or ugly or detrimental about that bond.
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Hello and welcome!
If you're new in this space, I'm USA Today Bestselling thriller and horror author L.A. Detwiler. I'm a high school English teacher by day and a total bookworm by night. I'm married to my junior high sweetheart, and we have six rescued cats as well as a very wild Great Dane puppy named Edmund. I started writing in the sweet romance genre (I wrote my first book during college), but a few years ago, I found my writing home in thriller/horror/all things creepy. I'm a huge fan of writers like Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, and Poe, and they heavily influence my writing. I write books that focus a lot on the female perspective and emotional horror. I love to play with the idea of unreliable narrators and the concept of villains. My Great Dane Edmund shows up in all of my books (and before that, it was my mastiff, Henry). My first thriller, The Widow Next Door, hit the USA Today Bestseller's list. It's published with HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter. The audio book is actually coming out this spring, and I'm so excited! I also have a popular serial killer's book called The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter. It's the winner of the bronze medal for Reader's Favorite, and I'm so proud of it. I'm a coffee addict, a Netflix binger, and I buy way too much at Ulta. I live in a small town in Pennsylvania where I love sitting in my hammock reading all the books. I'd love to hear about you! Tell me where you're from, what you do for a living, and what books you love. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler New York Times Bestseller.
It's a title. That's it. It doesn't mean you are more worthy or have a more important writing voice (I don't think, anyway). It doesn't equate to happiness or complete, automatic success. Some would say it's a fool's dream. Still, it's been my dream since I've realized my first two dreams: To get published and to hit the USA Today Bestseller's list. Both of those dreams felt IMPOSSIBLE. I still pinch myself that both came true. Hitting the NYT Bestseller's list is, truly, an impossible goal, too, even more than the others, probably. It's something I might spend my life chasing without ever reaching it. But that's okay. Because I've come to learn that the chase is truly what keeps your heart on fire with passion. Dreams, big, wild dreams, are what helps us make sense of this whole journey. Dreams are what keep us looking up at the stars. So, I'm entering 2022 with my heart and mind focused on my goal: I'm going to write my best book to date. Will it hit the NYT list? Probably not. Most definitely not. Still, I've seen over the past six years of my journey that the definitely nots definitely stand a chance. I'm off to doing my research for what I'm hoping will be my best book to date. It's a thriller and it dabbles in all sorts of topics I'm loving learning all about. Until then, I hope you, too, are daring to dream big...and then daring to dream even bigger. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler There's something magic about this time of year, the days right before the calendar switches.
I know, I know: You can set goals and change your routine any time of the year. You don't have to wait for January 1st. Still, I love the symbolism in that blank page, that whole year ahead. I love the idea of setting goals, of dreaming dreams, and of trying to set intentions for a better version of yourself. This year, in 2022, I'm getting focused on my truest passion: writing. I'm chasing my big, wild dream of being a NYT bestseller. I'm focusing in on my writing and paring down my schedule to chase my biggest passions. I'm making self-care a priority, which means saying "no" to some things and simplifying. It means prioritizing and asking the hard question: What truly makes me happy? I'm going into 2022 feeling ready to live more passionately and to stop apologizing (thank you, Rachel Hollis) for being my truest self. I hope that you are doing the same. I hope you have your eye on 2022 as well, and I hope it fills you with excitement. We've got this. Let's go get our dreams, friends. Stay Safe and Be True, L.A. Detwiler
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L.A. DetwilerUSA TODAY Bestselling Thriller author with Avon Books (HarperCollins), The Widow Next Door, The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter, and other creepy thriller books Categories
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