Guest Blogger: Lynn Seresin, author of Thin Air

It's an honor to have someone as talented as Lynn Seresin, author of Thin Air, be a guest blogger on The Fairytale Nerd! Lynn worked as a children's book editor and freelance writer of middle-grade fiction before writing Thin Air, the first book in the Thin Air saga. She's here to talk to us about being a late bloomer.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::  

What can I say? I’m a late bloomer. Always have been. I walked late, started to date late, moved away from home late, learned to drive late, got married late, got down to serious writing late, had kids late--well, you get the idea. The only things I mastered ahead of schedule was learning to talk and learning to read. And, according to friends and family, I haven’t shut up or put down a book since.

But who made up the “schedule” so many of us feel compelled to follow, anyway? Where is there a cosmic yardstick against which we are obliged to measure our progress, or lack thereof? The answer is simple—it doesn’t exist. Sure, you can find data online to predict when you’ll most likely get married (28.4 for men, 26.5 for women), how many children you’ll probably have (2.1)—even when you might actually die (let’s not go there; it’s too depressing). Data represents statistical averages, gleaned from analyzing large populations. And within those populations, the variation is huge—folks who marry at 17 while others wait until 40, people like the Duggars (19 kids and counting) and small families with only a lonely only to show for their efforts. The “variation” is what’s real. Everybody reaches milestones at their own pace—or they should. Trying to speed up your personal timetable often leads to disastrous consequences.

Take this woman I once knew (I’ll call her Penelope). Penelope was single, youngish (around 32), attractive, living in New York City in a cool neighborhood, and doing work she loved. Pretty together, right? She was dating Jon (again, an alias), whom she adored. They were even talking about moving in together. But Jon was a humble teacher. Not someone who would ever be rolling in the dough. So, even though she still loved Jon, Penelope broke off with him and immediately got involved with Doug, a successful doctor whom Penelope described as “ugly but sweet”. They conducted a long-distance romance (she was in NY; he was in Michigan), got to know each other primarily through emails and occasional weekends together, and quickly became engaged. When I reminded Penelope that she barely knew the man she was planning to marry, she said, “That’s okay. We’ll get to know each other after the wedding.”

Truth be told, I lost touch with Penelope about a year after she married Doug and moved to Michigan. All I can say is, she wasn’t the happiest of campers the last time I saw her. In fact, she seemed downright miserable. Doug, it turned out, was controlling, self-consumed, and spoiled—everything Jon wasn’t. What drove Penelope’s decision to break up with someone she loved and marry a man she hardly knew was that damned, cosmic yardstick. She thought she should be married by her early thirties to a man who should be a professional, with whom she should have 2.1 children. Penelope buried herself under an avalanche of “shoulds” and lost track of what was right for her—and when it should happen.

Moral of this story: Don’t even look at that yardstick. Just follow your heart, let things unfold as they should (and when they should), and trust that each step you take will bring you closer to true happiness and fulfillment.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Thank you for your time Lynn... I know you're busy writing Book 2 of the Thin Air Saga, which I am very eager to get my hands on!

And Lynn is oh so very generous to offer THIN AIR eBooks (from Amazon) to FIVE LUCKY WINNERS! 

Giveaway Rules:

Open to persons 13 years old or older.

Only one person per entry. Those exceeding one will not be considered.

This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.

Contest ends on SEPTEMBER 2, 2011.

Leave your email address so we can email you your eBook. 

Extra entries will be given to those who will:

     - follow my blog The Fairytale Nerd (+1)

     - follow me on Twitter (+1)

     - follow me on FaceBook (+1)

     - follow Lynn Seresin on Twitter (+1)

     - follow Lynn Seresin on FaceBook (+1)

     - spread the word about this giveaway (+2) 

Just  tweet this!

Win THIN AIR by Lynn Seresin (5 winners!) @lynnsere  at 

http://thefairytalenerd.blogspot.com/2011/08/giveaway-thin-air-by-lynn-seresin.html

For a more detailed information on the rules, please read the Contest Policy.

Now, fill out this FORM, and win THIN AIR BY LYNN SERESIN!