image via wikipedia
My plan was to publish my first official blog post on January 1st. My plan was to spend the next two weeks enjoying the holidays with my family and queuing up posts for 2010 in my off time, then release those articles at my leisure. The problem is, as I’m sitting here watching my tweets build up and no real content being posted on my blog, I’m getting antsy. So, my plan goes out the window. At least the part about waiting until the New Year.
One of the things I love about my job is the variety of books I get to read–books I wouldn’t normally pick up. I grew up on Star Wars (and horses, and M*A*S*H, and B-movies, but that’s not what this post is about). Give me a good old space opera any day and I’m right right at home. But military science fiction? No way, man. Most military SF references history at some point and history is boring, right? (See footnote 1.) Besides that, anything even remotely militaristic goes against my neo-hippie inner adolescent. But my first freelancing gig was with Baen Books, and I’m convinced that Jim Baen’s first love was military SF. So easily fifty percent of the books I’ve worked on for Baen have been military SF. (See footnote 2.)
And that is how I met Helmuth von Moltke. He was mentioned, directly or indirectly, in at least two Baen books that I remember. Usually in reference to this saying: “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” The thing is, this doesn’t just apply to war; it applies to everyday life too.
When I was young, idealistic, and rebellious, I planned to pursue one of three career paths: acting, writing, or doing anything that would allow me to hang around a barn full of horses all day. The enemy in this case was my parents, my teachers, and most of all, “the real world.” In the real world I could never make it as an actress, author, or equestrienne. I’d need a “real” job if I wanted to make it in the real world. That’s the line everybody was selling me, and I bought it. So, there went my plans to pursue my dreams. I decided to pursue an acceptable, steady income instead. (The rebellious part of me refused to pursue any career in publishing other than “author” so I never even considered editing an option until many years later, even though several people had suggested it to me.)
Once I finally grew up, stopped rebelling against my parents, and discovered that I really do enjoy being on the editorial side of publishing, I planned to quit my regular job and freelance full-time. Good old Helmuth raised his ugly head again though, and instead of being able to work in my PJs while eating bon-bons all day, I worked a 40+ hour per week job, then came home and at least made a gesture of doing housework, then after all my other work was done, I could do my freelance work.
This went on for several years, until we moved from California to Wisconsin. When we moved, I planned (yet again) to make a go of full-time freelancing. For some time, we pulled it off. But here comes Helmuth again. I’m feeling like life is coming full-circle for me. I’m working a “real” job again (at least not full-time anymore), then I come home and do the housework (with two kids now, making a mere gesture at it is no longer enough), and then I do my freelance work.
I had planned to strictly delineate my personal life from my freelancing life. I even had two Facebook accounts at one point–one for Kimberly Creative Services to make contacts in the publishing world, and one just for personal contact. I no longer think that’s possible though. I can still keep some things private, but I think that part of using the Web and social media to promote yourself and your business involves letting people get to know the real you, the everyday you, not just the part of you trying to sell your services. So I’ve given in to Helmuth, and will be including more personal content in my business site.
A little bit about me, since my plan was to make this an introductory post before it got hijacked by Helmuth, and some of the things that make me tick. I’m not just a freelancer. I’m also an adoptive and foster mother. My story, “Scenes from the Broken Road,” is included in A Cup of Comfort for Adoptive Families
These are all some of the things you’ll find on my blog in the months to come. These and whatever other interests may come up over time. I hope you’ll stick around a while to see what comes up and where Helmuth might be taking me next.
Footnote 1: Wrong! History is only boring when it’s presented by people who aren’t excited about it. Like every single one of my high school history teachers. When presented by someone with a passion for it, all of the sudden history gets exciting.
Footnote 2: And guess what really surprised me? I’ve honestly enjoyed most of the books I’ve proofed from outside of my comfort zone.
