With Persistence – You Can Dream Big!
Thursday, December 3, 2009 
Guest Post By Gale Laure
Mr. Webster defines persistence as continuance in the face of opposition. I have always thought of it as being stubborn and not giving up. I suppose the opposite of persistence is procrastination. We have all been faced with procrastination. We become discouraged. I have been no different. When things get difficult for us, we, as humans, find it easier to procrastinate.
When I decided to pursue my dream and publish my first novel, I believed nothing could stop me or even slow me down. How wrong I was.
This is my story.
In August of 2007 after I had sent my novel to my publisher for publication, I received bad news. During a routine check-up, my husband’s doctor had received some elevated lab results. My husband had battled and beat cancer in 2004. Was it back? Terror filled my heart.
In early September of 2007, my elderly mother was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy. She kept me busy retrieving medicines. My elderly father had a day of light chest pains. Mid September my husband underwent a colonoscopy. The results were negative. I was relieved. Later in the month came a repeat of the suspicious lab test for him. Next came a body scan to search for the cancer. I spent a whole day arguing with the insurance company for approval for these tests.
By the end of September of 2007, the bad news came. The cancer was back. My book was due to be released the next month. How was I going to do everything? How give my book the promotion it needed? I was only one person. I knew the cancer had to come first.
My dream came true October 25th, 2007, when my first novel was published. It was one of the most wonderful days in my life!
Radiation treatments began the end of October for my husband. At the same time my mother needed an MRI on her back for persisting back pain. I knew I was on my own caring for my husband and my parents. My sister had just had knee replacement surgery. Recuperation had to be her top priority at that time.
In November, my mother started injection therapy treatment for her back. There were a series of these done outpatient. But I had to provide transportation. My husband was still taking radiation treatments. He was becoming sicker by the day. I was so busy trying to be in two places and caring for everyone.
In early January 2008, my father was hospitalized with anemia and intestinal bleeding.
Mother was suffering from a sinus infection at the same time. My husband was still undergoing radiation treatments for the cancer.
Later in January, my mother was hospitalized. She has fallen during a dizzy spell.
In late January, my husband underwent bladder surgery to remove scar tissue. This was a complication from the radiation.
April of 2008 brought another disaster. My husband was involved in an auto accident that totaled out his car. Later in April, we were both in an accident while on a test drive from an auto dealership.
Finally in May of 2008, he received his new Dodge Caliber. It was totaled June 6th, when he was rear-ended.
In June 2008, we moved my elderly parents from their home into an apartment. We hoped this would be easier for everyone.
September 13th, 2008, our home was destroyed by hurricane Ike. A huge pine tree had been dumped on top of my home by a tornado. The bed in which we would have been sleeping was crushed. We would have died. I am still thankful we were in another room putting oxygen on my elderly father. It was a horrifying night. We lost almost everything we had.
We were homeless, living in a hotel and then an apartment until March of 2009. I am so thankful for our insurance. They were wonderful to us.
During all this time and all these trials – my dream persisted. When I could I did book signings at bookstores. I had launch parties. I sent out postcards. It was not easy. At times I had to set priorities. Many times the priority was not my book. But I never gave up on my dream!
Life happens. Our dreams can survive. Persistence, not procrastination, puts your dreams within your reach.
Whether your dream is a college diploma, a new home, a new career, a new business, or to pursue a talent you have been given – it can happen! Persistence is what dreams are made of. 
I have survived all of this. My book has survived all of this. And because of persistence, my dream has survived all of this! Never give up! With persistence you can dream big!
Gale Laure is known for her informal Southern style of writing. Books written by Gale Laure include her current debut, mystery,suspense, thriller romance, Evolution of a Sad Woman . It is selling as an ebook, Kindle and as a trade softcover paperback internationally.
For more information about Gale Laure visit www.galelaure.com (website) or www.evolutionofasadwoman.com (blog)
Reader Comments (8)
Good morning, everyone.
I will be here all day today to hear your comments and take your questions. I look forward to an interesting discussion.
GL
I am intrigued with your persistance through all the trauma. Tell us what held you together - it would have been easy to "fall apart" and give up, but you didn't.
You are a survivor, Gale. And yes, persistence is something which you need in life and in the publishing world. The one thing I tell all aspiring writers is to never give up. I'm glad you didn't. Good luck on your book tour!
Irene,
I suppose my faith kept me going. There were times when I cried a lot. There were days when I was alone, and I yelled and beat my pillow. But most of all, every day I prayed. After I did, something nice would happen. It would not be something big. It would be a phone call from a friend, a door opened by a stranger, a free soda from a manager in a fast food place. I knew somehow God was pushing me onward. This, too, would pass.
With my book, it was my husband. He loves my book. He thinks it is the greatest thing since ice cream. He will not let me give up! He believes in me. I suppose he, too, is a gift from God.
Thanks for blogging in, Irene. It was nice to hear from you.
GL
Caridad,
It is nice to hear from you.
Yes, Caridad. Things may postpone me. But they do not stop me. The publishing world is a tough place. It is not nice every day. Authors are creative people. They are emotional as they should be. But you have to put on that thick skin and forge forward. It is a lot of hard work.
This virtual blog book tour is something I think every author should experience. I have learned so much.
Thank you so much for blogging in. I admire your career.
GL
I found out about your virtual book tour after requesting several different Yahoo keyword searches. One particular website, kept showing up on the first page, "MysteryBookAuthor.com" for the keywords:
looking for mystery book author
debut mystery book author
mystery book author review
mytery book author video
I would appreciate information about how to build a website similar to "MysteryBookAuthor.com! Specifically, how to build a website so the description is related to specific keywords.
Thank you
mystery book author,
I hope I understand your question. I will try. I do not own the website you are speaking about. I have an advertising agency guy who did a service for me. He markets my book making it very popular on the internet using something called search engine optimization. He created some websites for this purpose. This may be one of those websites. He performs a service he calls "custom book marketing courtesy of the search engines".
If you want a website that does the same thing, I would suggest you hire someone who can perform this service for you. I , myself, would not know how to start.
Thanks for blogging in. I hope I answered your question.
GL
Thank you, everyone, for blogging in today. It was a delightful day.
Thank you Blogging Authors for hosting me. Your blog was a wonderful experience.
Good night to all.
GL