Connecting Readers and Writers discussion

All of you may have heard of "Lightbulb Moment". I remember hearing that statement or phrase from Oprah Winfrey years ago. One of my "lightbulb moments" was a very important event in my life, which provided a very strong enlightenment experience.

That event was a trip I made to a tropical rainforest in Puerto Rico; therefore, we shall call it a "rainforest lightbulb moment".

This moment was told in "Long Journey To The Rainforest", which is the title of a chapter from my new book Invincible Treasures Adventure. In this chapter, I talked about my "eye-opening" experience during my 2014 visit to this rainforest. I was scouting potential locations for my upcoming adventure feature film, which is currently in pre-production.

I've had a variety of events, which were light bulb moments too, but this was one of the most powerful ones.

Before I go into what the trip meant for me, I would like to share a little of my background.

I grew up in a small town and was always a very creative kid. I enjoyed music, dance, art, and creating inspiring stories. I used all of these activities to express myself and create something beautiful to inspire others. I also had many challenges growing up, which could have persuaded me to give up my passion to create and give up remaining true to who I was.

Among these challenges were the years where I was bullied as a kid. I was fortunate to have parents who taught me the importance of embracing what made me different. I also had a few wonderful friends who accepted me for who I was (and for who I am today). I learned that God made everyone unique out of LOVE.

I decided to go for my passion in both music and filmmaking in my 30's. I was a museum curator prior to that decision, and I am very thankful for that experience. I understood, however, that my heart and mind were made for creating inspiring stories through images, music, and films. If I had allowed my challenges to get to me, then I wouldn't have my current strong determination to go for my dreams. I wouldn't have my determination to never sell out my true self.

For us to go after our dreams, we have to be able to swim against the tide. You have to be a very strong swimmer at times too! Also, when you are in your childhood years, your mind is in a very delicate state. So, having a good support group around you to remind you that you are wonderful as you are is so important. I thank God for my support.

Now, let's get to the light bulb moment.

When I was touring the rainforest in Puerto Rico with a member of the Puerto Rico Film Commission, I remember seeing a beautiful waterfall there. The waterfall was maybe 15 feet tall. There was a pool at the foot of the falls. I was so taken by the forest's natural wonders. Also, I saw a family having a wonderful time swimming in this pool. They were surrounded by all of this unique and extraordinary beauty of this beautiful rainforest. I could hear the sounds of wildlife sharing their music with all of us.

I began imagining myself looking at myself experiencing this event. I saw a woman, already an explorer and recording artist, who is on the road to producing her first feature film and her first film soundtrack. This woman was me and is me. All of my past obstacles and challenges led me here! I kept my faith, my authenticity, and kept going after my dreams..now look where it brought me. It brought me to an extraordinary place surrounded with nature's music, laughing and joy, God-given beauty, and my dreams coming to fruition.

This was a light bulb moment. This was, and is, who I AM!

I would like to hear your stories of the type of light bulb moments, which brought you your passion and career as an author.

To read more from my book Invincible Treasures Adventure, please go to the link below.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A3JRCIA?r...

Only light bulb moment that I remember was when starting Written for You.
Was hanging out with wife's close friend who is a psychologist and who also wants to be an author, we were talking about book ideas. He mentioned an idea that he had for a book, my wife interrupted and he said something about her having tangential speech syndrome.
After he explained it to me, I told him there is a book topic. He laughed at me and said good luck with that.
I used it as one of the main character traits of Bob, and more than a few reviewers have pointed it out positively in their review.

I often wondered what it would take to create and sustain a world in which everyone, without exception, had access to the exact same quantity and quality of food, housing, clothing, medical care, formal education and social advancement opportunities. Was such a goal even possible or practical to achieve?

It took years to lay the groundwork and figure ways to overcome all of the obstacles, but one day it all came together. Before true equality could ever be achieved, every institution, belief, philosophy and behavior that had prevented its achievement in the past would have to be abolished, eventually forgotten and never again be permitted to exist. Since I possess neither the power or resources to actually create such a social structure in the real world, I decided to create a fictional world in the form of a novel instead.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Joseph wrote: "Only light bulb moment that I remember was when starting Written for You.
Was hanging out with wife's close friend who is a psychologist and who also wants to be an author, we were talking about b..."

Thank you Joseph! I just googled tangenital speech disorder, which is when the speaker's train of thought wanders and shows lack of focus. How has that affected the main character of your book?

Jim wrote: "I often wondered what it would take to create and sustain a world in which everyone, without exception, had access to the exact same quantity and quality of food, housing, clothing, medical care, f..."

Thank you Jim! Your book sounds very interesting. Do you have it on Amazon yet? Was there a particular event that inspired you that it was time to write your book and create this scenario?

Merri wrote: "Jim wrote: "I often wondered what it would take to create and sustain a world in which everyone, without exception, had access to the exact same quantity and quality of food, housing, clothing, med..."

Merri,
In response to your questions,

Levels is available courtesy of several commercial vendors in several formats - paperback (376 pages), e-book (Kindle/Nook/Tablet), audio book on CD (9 compact discs) and audio book download - 8 hrs. listening time, narrated by Stephen Rozzell. The commercial vendors include:
Amazon.Com (U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, New Zealand and India)
Audible.Com www.audible.com
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/jim-v...
Better World Books www.betterworldbooks.com
Books-A-Million www.booksamillion.com
Christian Book Store www.deepershopping.com/jim-vuksic/hom...
Fishpond.Com - Australia www.fishpond.com.au
Powell's Books www.powellsbooks.com/

No single specific event inspired the book's story line. It is the end result of several decades of personal experiences and observations.

Thank you for asking. If you should choose to do so someday, I hope you enjoy reading about the world of Levels as much as I enjoyed creating it.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12...

Jim Vuksic
http://jimvuksic.tateauthor.com/

Merri wrote: "Joseph wrote: "Only light bulb moment that I remember was when starting Written for You.
Was hanging out with wife's close friend who is a psychologist and who also wants to be an author, we were ..."

You know in the case of Bob, he attempts to use the illness more as a tool to try to take over conversations out of sympathy. He even makes his own medical bracelet.
It also allowed me great deal of backstory on his analyst. She believes Bob suffers from it, and that it is the first sign of Alzheimers. In studies it seems to be the second symptom, but she believes it is actually the first, and overlooked because of it not being looked for and really not as noticable to detect as what is not considered first symtom. It was a theory her favorite professor had in school and she is considering Bob as almost case study material.

I always knew I was a writer. I started writing stories the day I learned how to spell story.

But the real light bulb moment happened when I said on tumblr I wanted to be a writer and somebody asked for something. I wrote a story and suddenly had a fan club over there that wanted more and more stories.

Have to admit that total strangers have been really supportive and family and friends hardly at all.

My lightbulb moment came on 12/12/12. I had just finished reading Turning Pro (Stephen Pressfield). He basically said if you're going to write, write - and treat it like a professional: write whether you feel like it or not, find solutions to your problems, and quit whining when things don't go your way.

I read it, thought about it for a long time, and decided he was right: for me, having invested over 15 years at that point into writing, it was still more of a hobby, something I could do or not do, and I did whine. To myself, mostly, because writing is hard for me - but the whining makes it harder!

My middle name is Guadalupe. Dec. 12 is the day for Our Lady of Guadalupe. I decided it was an omen - and I turned pro, in attitude.

I haven't turned back, even though it took me three more years from that day to have both ebook and print versions of Pride's Children for sale.

You call yourself a writer, too, once you make that decision. That was hard. It isn't any more.

I like being a writer. I do it every day.

Great question. While I've written nonfiction since I was a teen, I never dared try fiction until I was almost 60. At that time, I had lost a job as the editor of a magazine; a nonfiction book project fizzled on me; and I found myself with no income, in the middle of the Great Recession. That was late 2009. I'd always had "Write a novel!" atop my bucket list, and my looming financial desperation overcame my fear-based procrastination. I gave it a shot, giving myself a deadline to complete the book by my 62nd birthday. That was June 5, 2011.

On June 4th, at 11 p.m., the final pages of my first novel -- a thriller titled HUNTER -- came rolling out of my printer. That was cutting my deadline close, but as a former editor, I was used to deadlines.

Also from financial desperation, I didn't bother to shop it to an agent or publisher. I needed to get it on sale fast, so I self-published. I had my beta readers ready for the manuscript and the cover designed. I worked like crazy to edit and correct the manuscript, based on the feedback. And so I had HUNTER on sale as an ebook just 17 days later, on June 21, 2011. The paperback was released a few weeks later.

What happened then was the stuff of movies.

HUNTER sold a quite respectable 4,000 copies in its first five months. Then the Kindle editors selected it an "Editors' Pick" and added it to a post-Thanksgiving sales promotion, along with about 200 other titles. For some reason, my book took off. It soared up the Kindle bestseller list to #4, and to #1 in "Mysteries and Thrillers," and also became a Wall Street Journal "Top 10 Fiction Ebook." In the 35 days from the start of the promotion, HUNTER sold over 50,000 copies.

When, on the last day of the promotion, my book soared past the latest "Hunger Games" title -- and past every other male author on Kindle -- I'd say that was my light bulb moment.

I've since published the first sequel in my "Dylan Hunter Thrillers" series, BAD DEEDS, and I'm working on #3, which I aim to release later this year. But if I had only known this reception awaited my fiction-writing, I would have started writing novels decades ago. It's been quite a ride.

Robert wrote: "But if I had only known this reception awaited my fiction-writing, I would have started writing novels decades ago. It's been quite a ride. "

Congratulations! Great story - I am quite green with envy. My debut novel is going much more slowly.

But wouldn't you say your lightbulb moment was when you decided to self-publish? Bypassing other authors - peak experience (and I hope it repeats often for you).

Robert wrote: "Great question. While I've written nonfiction since I was a teen, I never dared try fiction until I was almost 60. At that time, I had lost a job as the editor of a magazine; a nonfiction book proj..."
Super to hear. There are so many nice self pubbers, it is really great to hear a success story. Almost all the people I have met here are supportive, both authors and readers, and it is great to hear that at least someone is finding success.

My light bulb moment occurred during my reading of Anne Lamott's 'Blue Shoe.' Always a voracious reader, that may have been one of the last books I read because I'm very serious about writing and marketing my work so it will be read. Her style of writing, introspection, and her creativity to extrapolate from the mundane inspired me. I knew I could write along those lines, and feel I have tapped into sensitivities in my first novel, 'Underlying Notes,' which I embarked upon after reading her book.

I've taken the same liberties with my second novel, 'An Enlightening Quiche,' which is in production. Anne Lamott's influence has empowered me to create flawed, flesh-and-bone characters.

While I embrace my light bulb moment for unleashing my creativity, I lament not having the luxury to read actual books. Most of my reading pertains to research for enriching my work, and ways to reach potential readers.

Hi, all. Hard to say exactly when, what hour and minute, but I think I had it the other day at a writers' event. A young girl of ten and I were talking, and she laid out the wisdom I've been waiting all my life to accept about my own writing. She'd already made it. I blogged about my light-bulb moment. Hope it's okay to post this link here. It's not self promotion: I want everyone to feel the joy I did when I met this little girl and, afterward, let go of every preconcieved notion I've ever had about writing. http://blog.marymcfarlandauthor.com/2...