It may just be the weather--you know, longer days, sunglasses, car windows half down, warm breeze blowing in, music rolling out.
Or maybe it's the feeling that anything could happen, that anything is possible. The realization that at this time next year, we'll be published authors, that kids everywhere (or somewhere) will be reading our words, the ones we chose, the message we've delivered.
Perhaps it's the 6th grade girls we meet with once a month to discuss amazing books. The ones who once sat stiffly on my couch, unsure and uncomfortable, who now curl their legs beneath them, throw out high fives, laugh and joke. The same girls who brainstormed title ideas with us, who plan to create their own version of our cover with color and sparkles. The girls we write for.
It might be the outlet, the creativity, the writing. The late nights and early mornings, fingers clicking, paragraphs written, chapters woven. The way places come alive and characters fight to be understood while navigating conflicts we've created.
Or maybe it's the support. The blog posts, the witty comments, the amazing friends. The way people light up when you tell them that you're actually doing it. You're following your dream. Living it.
Either way, we're happy. The kind of happy that has us scrambling to our computers in the morning. The kind of happy that makes you realize that in 10 years you hope you're lucky enough to be doing the exact same thing you're doing now. Only, you know, better.
So, on this gorgeous, almost-spring Friday we have only one question for you guys: What's your particular brand of happy?
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Don't call this a comeback
So it’s been a minute. Or 10. Or truthfully more like 2,102,400. At least we think that’s how many minutes there are in 3 years, but let...
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Brand of happy--hmmm. I guess my happy is knowing that I am finally at ease to let people know that I love to write. That I am giving it all I got because I love it. I repeated myself but it is early and I have not slept. I also am happy when my kids give me a kiss.
So there you have a couple brands of happy:)
It's so important to enjoy this moment in life, isn't it?? I keep reminding myself of that. All the years of hoping, trying, wanting and now we are so close to holding that novel in our hot little hands.
Great reminder.
Oh, Laura, you've got me crying into my tea. So glad you guys are recognizing and enjoying your happiness. So many people don't.
And I just looked into my little guy's room. He's sleeping, his pale feet hanging off the side of the bed and his red hair sticking up all over the pillow. That's my kind of happiness.
What a fun post!!!! I love being happy!!!
I would say my brand of happy (loving that we are calling it this!) is the fact that I'm very confident in my writing, where it once was a struggle, I love that I can blog about issues or about my up's and everyone can help me through the rough times and praise me through the high times. There are so many different kinds of happy, however the blogosphere has definitely made one of the top happy's in my book!
First of all, I'm SO happy for the both of you! My daughter will be in 6th grade next school year, so you can bet I'll be buying your book(s).
There are so many things that make me happy, but definitely feeling like I am going somewhere with my writing ranks right up there. My family is a given, but having a group of people who want to read what I write and actually LIKE it makes me ecstatic!
My brand of happy? When I get to spend weeks on end with my family. For the love of vacations!
Last night was a rough critique season, and I'm still stewing on all the information. But my brand of happy is that I know I should be writing. A small dose of comfort that I plan to wrap up in all day.
Oops- I meant critique session! Ha!
I'm happy because it seems like everything is on course. It has the feeling of everything coming together perfectly. How can that not make me happy?
Your happiness today is contagious. I'm happy that you gals are so happy living the dream.
My girls I know will love your book :)
I love to go places with my family. It makes me happy to travel with them and experience new things together.
I'm so happy for you both and it's so cool that you meet with 6th grade girls to discuss books!
My brand of happy is where I am right now. Things are really good.
I so agree with you. I don't even know what I can add to this beautiful post.
It's so true.
I've got so much to be happy for right now: my husband, my kids. I feel like I've been overflowing with creativity this past month and that inspires me to do more. I am a woman on the verge and that makes me really happy :D
My brand of happy is in my continued determination to live my dream...my inner drive to never give up on landing an agent and seeing my work published.
I am happy about this because I choose to look at my attitude as the positive in my current/seemingly never ending "query-hell" situation. I'm happy that I'm not a quitter, and that I believe in my writing enough to keep pushing forward. You both know...I'll never give up.
Awesome! I tend to be a generally happy person, but the sunshine is such a help!! Being able to walk outside without fear of blizzard attacks is great :)
My particular brand of happy, other than my beautiful daughter, is waking up every day with the open-ended possibility that the stories I write might matter to someone. somewhere.
This is such a sweet post, and so true. I guess I'd have to say my particular brand of happy is knowing that there are worlds where heroes can perform amazing feats, where villians can fascinate, where normal people can be extraordinary, and I can pull those worlds into this one.
Congratulations!! I always tell people that you only live one life- be happy. You're both doing exactly that and I think that is AWESOME!! :)
By brand of happy is when I get to be creative- in any format. I am a photographer, so I love the feel of my camera in my hands. I love to write, so I am so happy to be sitting at keyboard clickity-clacking away. I love sketching, so blending a facial structure with my bare fingers is a beautiful feeling.
Creativity lives and breaths inside of me and I feel so happy and so blessed to do what I love. :) Happy Friday!
All well deserved, if you ask me.
And I'm still working on my brand of happiness.
My particular brand of happy's all wrapped up with writing, chilled vodka, reading blogs that make me spit coffee on my keyboard, more chilled vodka, very loud rock music, very loud classical music, writing, critiquing for friends, talking about writing, and writing.
It's nice that your blog is often the one that makes me spit coffee on my keyboard. But, since my boss is tired of paying for new keyboards, please stop being funny for a month or so. Thanks.
I'm so excited for you two. Enjoy! And I'm happy to hear you have kids you connect with over books. Hooray!
You two deserve every ounce of happiness possible. You are so good at making everyone else happy, that it's only fair you be even happier yourselves! Right?! Ha ha.
My favorite "brand" of happiness is mommy love. No question.
Happiness is... seeing Dan Santat's Ninja Pig sketch on Facebook! :)
*spreads arms wide* This. :)
So glad you're happy!
Hmm... I'm at peace with where I am in life. That's a good happy! :0)
Have a great weekend!
Oh my gosh! I love this post. I'm keeping it in my notes!
I think the journey is the happiness, even though there are a few bumps and distractions.
Yay for happy!
You guys are so awesome. And I totally need a teen squad of my own! How cool is that. As for what makes me happy? I dunno. I guess being able to juggle everything successfully, and have it all pay off one day. My kids, my writing, my school, my family and personal life. Is that too much to ask? lol I can say I'm happy right now, even if things haven't paid off yet, taking the steps in the right direction always makes me feel positive.
I'm so glad everything is going well!
My brand of happy - I work a whole lot, but this morning we got to sleep in an extra little while and snuggle, and we actually ate breakfast together. Tomorrow I can sleep in as long as I'd like. Life keeps getting better, and I'm really enjoying being able to see it!
Yes, I'm a lurker, but this made me smile and I wanted to respond. :)
Very happy post.
For me, it's doing what I love and the people around me doing the same.
What a beautiful post!
My brand of happy right now is sharing a slice of pizza and a beer with my husband, watching some terrible 80s movie, and revelling in how good it feels to be married to my best friend :).
Right now, I'm happy just knowing that the cold is going and blue skies and sunshine are on the horizon!
Oh and chocolate covered gummy bears. Yum. :)
Funny, I have been musing over this the last week. The weather directly affects my moods, and it is gorgeous here.
I am happy.
It just makes it better when your family looks at you out of the blue and says it out loud. We have been doing that a lot lately. Life is good.
Hmm. I say mine is just hanging out with family and enjoying their company (most of the time). Also, the fact they support me in my writing adventure makes me smile from ear to ear :)
My brand of happy:
Pandora on. Headphones. Writing. Blogging. Emailing with good friends who "get" me and everything I'm going through.
Watching movies under blankets because it's still cold and we won't turn the heat back on. Eating out. Watching orchestra concerts. Living.
Happy weekend, girls.
What a great post! I'm so glad you've found your happiness ;o) You both totally deserve it!
Let's see... what makes my happiness brand: Sunshine, my animals, my husband, family and friends, iTunes, golf, driving on a sunny day with nowhere to go, writing the ultimate scene (have yet to do), lazy beach days, always wanting more and never getting everything all at once (I need to appreciate it)
Fabulous post! Enjoy your weekend ;o)
My brand of happy is where I can find a moment alone where I don't have to be anywhere or doing anything and I can sit down and read/write.
Lovely, lovely post!!
Sometimes a year seems like such a small amount of time... and sometimes life can change so drastically.
I hope this happiness is around for you both for a very, very many years!
Wow. I love this post.
My brand of happiness is all the things you said, seeing deserving friends succeed, realizing a dream I've been terrified to admit out loud, and getting to share life with all the people I love.
Beautiful post.
My brand of happy must be the thought that I am lucky enough to be able to express myself freely. I don't need to share my thoughts in secret. I can create without fear, and I can create without the need of a fake identity or a buzzcut or a uniform.
I'm happy because I want something from this freedom and I haven't given up on that goal yet. And I haven't given up yet because I'm happy. (:
xoxox
looking-glass-fables.blogspot.com
What a sweet heartwarming post. You two totally deserve this good fortune!
Happy Weekend, girls!
Excellent post. Right now, I'm happy to be able to make words into sentences, paragraphs, and pages of writing.
My brand of happiness...I guess would be the complete "I'm here but not here" feeling I experience after falling on my bed right after school and waking up at 7. Which, shockingly, boosts your creativity immensely. So I can't call it a complete waste of time.
I am happy when I eat chocolate with friends and look ahead to an empty week filled with a simple test (filling up two days) I'm already guarenteed to pass. I bet I can write at least six chapters in that time, if not ten. Aiming for ten...:P
Love your posts. You two deserve every moment of happiness out there. :)
Dude. I'm slightly smashed on $3.99 margaritas right now, so I can't answer your question, but way beautiful post!
Can't wait to see your book on the shelves--and I'll buy it, even if it does have a sparkly cover!
Wow you girls rock. My brand of happy? The hope of my own publication. I'm selfish that way. ;)
You guys are awesome, I'm glad you get to live your happy. =)
Hmmm...I am my happiest when I'm lost in my own world with pen, paper and my laptop or when I'm at our lake shack with my family playing games or hanging out on the lake.
Your book group sounds delightful! Those kids are going to be beside themselves when you sign books for them. My daughter is writing a novel (she's at 20,000 words), she adores my published friends and aspires to be like them. :) You are role models...a position of power and responsibility.
aw i love this post. so so happy for both of you and wishing you so many good things!
my brand of happy? seeing my fellow writers succeed!
best of luck with everything!!
Beautiful post, dolls! I can't wait to see where you are in a year, where you are in five, where you are in ten... The journey is amazing to watch and I love that you love it. There is nothing better than to do that which you are passionate about and like you said - see the words you chose and the stories you created in the hands of others.
My brand of happy?
Simplicity. Words that make me shiver, a hug from my husband and a lazy afternoon.
I like this topic! My happiness is definitely my wife and kids....
My happiness is taking my 3 1/2 year old son trick or treating when I'm not wearing a costume, and he asks me what my costume is.... After I tell him that I'm not wearing a costume, he thinks for a second and tells me 'I know! Your costume is 'the best daddy in the world!'
That's my happiness!
um. confession? totally fell in love with you guys first. and um. other confession? LOVE the idea for pride and purity. i want that book yesterday. YESTERDAY.
(so excited for your first book to come out in the meantime!)
let's be best friends. ;D
soooo happy to meet you guys!!
Or maybe you're happy for all of the above reasons! At least, they are all reasons to grin and enjoy the moment. :)
My brand of happy right now is "hug those tiny kids tight because you're going to miss this one day" and "it's crisp and fresh and springalicious outside so enjoy your long walks once again" and "loving the excitement of writing a new shiny new idea". Those are the things making me grin lately.
um. how about this?? :D :D http://www.amazon.com/Friends-3-piece-Break-Silver-Necklace/dp/B00210QLY6
and it's only $122.68!!!!
this is a truly serendipitous moment. my husband might have a difficult time letting go, but i think we can do this. the three of us together -- with the help of the necklace, of course -- we'll be unstoppable. it'll be like that time when oprah told people to stop eating cows! we'll change the world if only for a moment!!
i'm seriously visualizing this.
it can happen.
That's an awesome feeling! Hang onto it and don't let it go.
My particular brand of happiness now would have to be when hubby and I are sitting on the couch and for no reason, he'll reach out and curl his hand over mine. Haven't been well enough to appreciate that in a while!
(The "soon to realize a lifelong dream/publication" euphoria is a close second!)
now that's tough question. I think two things bring out my happy:
1. e - she just does.
2. creativity - in the kitchen, on the blog, as I write my stupid gosh darn units. I feel alive when I am creating...
3. as an afterthought (sorry to jb again) - when my husband surprises me with a generous act...
not too serious i hope
Love this post! Congratulations on living your dream and being successful already (before your book even hits the bookshelves)!
I'd say my brand of happy is reaching the often elusive and hard-to-reach publishing dream. It feels surreal in an amazing way!
My particular brand of happy is anything that speaks to me on a soul level...water, oceans, rainy days, performing on movie sets...those all make me feel alive. That is happy to me :)
Loved your happiness post and your contagious gratitude. Great question. Happiness = playing capture the flag with just our small family and seeing my husband and children collapse onto the ground in laughter.
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