Friday, May 10, 2013

Unpredictable

There are lots of quotes about making  plans and how God laughs at us. Life is uncertain and can surprise us in every facet of our world.

Few of us followed the exact career path we had planned on when we started out on our own. I'm sure some of the readers of this blog are still going to find a few zigzags along the way to a fulfilling job. Many of those twists and turns are not things we can see ahead of time.

Personal and family relationships can be very unpredictable. I have four sisters and two brothers and all my relationships with those siblings are a little different. I would never have thought when growing up that miles and miles would separate us. Now my own children are grown and starting to scatter. My youngest son moved to Colorado yesterday to begin a six month internship that will
Colorado
hopefully lead to a good job placement ... anywhere.

Writing careers are like that. At times I've felt that my writing would develop into writing all epic fantasy, my first love for reading and writing. But I've been so pleased by the performance of some of my recent romances and have enjoyed writing them, that I now think my career will likely stay divided into my Susan Gourley, fantasy author and Susan Kelley, romance author. And I'm feeling very comfortable with that.

What unexpected turns has your life taken in your career, your home, and perhaps your writing life? Do you expect to have twists and turns along your path to fulfillment?

15 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

My career didn't take too many turns, but the writing thing sure did. Never planned on being an author in the first place.
Whatever genre is flowing right now is the one you need to write.

Suzanne Furness said...

My life has been full of twists and turns that I could never have predicated. And yes writing is like that too!

Maria Zannini said...

You ain't livin' if you ain't got some turns in it. LOL!

Writing was never on my agenda, yet ten books later, here I am.

You just never know what life will hand you.

mshatch said...

Too many twists and uphill climbs. I think I'd like a little more coasting and less struggling!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I never read contemporary fiction when I was younger, and it's ironic I would start with a contemporary series set in the real world.

D.G. Hudson said...

You're so right about the twists and turns. After college I thought I'd move to New England or California (from the south). But instead I ended up in Canada on the west coast. And it is the perfect place for me.

In life, we need to be able to recognize opportunities and pitfalls. And relationships need to be nurtured.

A thoughtful post, Susan. Now you have a reason to visit Colorado if your son moved there!

Robin said...

Life is all twisty-turny. It is the Nature of the Beast. The person whose life turns out precisely as they planned is the Rare Individual.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

OH my whole life has been an unexpected turn (and a real struggle). I sometimes wish I could get a mulligan but eh...that's the way it is.

jan said...

I try not to cling to expectation so the twists and turns just feel like a normal part of the journey.

Frustratedmama said...

Once upon a time, I was working toward being an attorney. I got really sick before I could finish that path. I worked for lawyers for 10 years and then returned to doing hair full time so I could write. Talk about a zigzag,

Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I'm not surprised that all my creative friends have experienced some twists and turns along the way. I know some of us have more of those to go.

Unknown said...

I've totally given up trying to predict my career! I have degrees in both psychology and education, but haven't worked more than a smattering in either. I never though I'd be a photographer for a living, but it works. Hoping that writing will add to that.

I also never thought I'd write romance, I wanted to write fantasy. But as my stories became more and more focused on the romantic element, I had to admit that they really were, first and foremost, romances!

Only difference is that I haven't moved much. People seem to stay put more here in Australia, or maybe that's just me?

Unknown said...

I love the adventure of not predicting it and try to stay flexible to where a leading may take me. I have ideas and dreams, but we'll see how life unfolds!

The Happy Whisk said...

I like the adventures in life. It makes things fun. So much has changed just since I started blogging.

Pretty darn groovy.

PS: Good post. Well-written.

Barbara White Daille said...

My life's had many twists and turns and taken me down many paths. Luckily, the writing has always gone along with me.