My mind runs like a water wheel, with so many ideas about what to write spilling out of each bucket as it rises. As the bucket reaches the top and is as full as it can be, I sit down to write and it spills without warning. I’m left saturated with no concrete ideas and as blank as the screen in front of me, and the empty bucket mocks me in contempt thinking it has prevailed.
Such is the case today.
However, I’m not going to let the empty water wheel win. I am going to produce something, because that’s what writers do.
They write, no matter what.
I am a writer, and I am writing.
I submitted my final approval of my debut novel Enduring the Waves yesterday to my publisher, Wild Rose Press. I should receive a publication date soon and anticipate that to be sometime in early winter. Once I have that date, I will be revealing my cover. I’ve been doing a lot of work behind the scenes, creating a reader’s guide and updating my website. I’ve also been working on an announcement calling for Advanced Reader Copy reviewers, a schedule of social media interactions, and building my email newsletter list. If you’d like to stay current with my journey, please consider signing up for my newsletter here:
I’ve also been working on magazine assignments and other writing projects, including putting the final touches on a non-fiction manuscript draft about something close to my heart. More about that to come, and that’s another reason to sign up for my newsletter, so you can stay current with everything I’ve got going on, in addition to the future release of Enduring the Waves.
The last week brought me to Boston with a quick jaunt with family to pick up my nephew (a rising high school senior) from a two-week summer course at Boston College. Last year was the first time I ever went to Boston, but the city charmed me something good. I love it there and relished the chance to visit it again, albeit for only a few hours.
Earlier this week, I took my middle-oldest nephew on his special day to Adventure Aquarium in Camden.
My nephew schooled me all about the exhibits as he has been there several times before. We walked the Shark Bridge Walk, saw the Hippo feeding, and went through all areas twice. I had a surprise stop planned and blew his mind by taking him to a store that sells retired Lego sets and parts called Andy’s Brick Shop in Oxford Valley Mall. Seeing so many vintage sets he had never before laid his eyes upon blew him away! I treated him to a special retired set and a few retired figures he did not have yet in his collection. It was a fantastic day.
I’ve disappointed myself at times by becoming too easily distracted, but that stops today as I reset my focus on engaging with what matters versus mindless scrolling. I’ve got 48 days left of summer, and I will balance each one with progress and my zest for life.
Thank you for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you are here.
With light and love,
Jill
“Filling the Water Wheel’s Bucket” was posted on jillocone.com on July 19, 2023. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not endorsed or compensated in any manner by any entity; views do not represent any of my employers. Copyright 2023, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact Jill with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries using any of the links below.
Jill Ocone 
