I spent an enjoyable day at the Duarte Festival of Authors (put on to benefit the Friends of the Duarte Library). I brought my teen-aged son -- an avid reader. It was a wonderful event put on by a small town. Of course, living in Southern California, sometimes, we are fortunate to have access to local celebrities.
The authors we listened to were D.J. MacHale, Ray Bradbury, and Stephen J. Cannell. The authors didn't succeed immediately in their life. They all had various struggles along their path. Ray Bradbury (see photo) was such a treat to hear him tell his story of struggle and success: "Jump off the cliff and build your wings on the way down." Don't hesitate at the top. Just jump off. You'll build them on the way down. I blogged about him previously.
Stephen J. Cannell struggled with dyslexia (he wasnt diagnosed until he was 35 and he had one of his children diagnosed). He was working for his father during the day, but would go home each night and write for 5 hours. "If you're willing to assign a high priority to what you want to achieve, you can't help but succeed." This dedication and persistence paid off.
D.J. MacHale (Pendragon Series) started out in film before writing. I think he inspired my son who loves producing movies. He said the most often heard word for aspiring authors is "No."
