KEEP BREATHING

Thoughts on Creativity, Magic, Justice, and Life

Hello friends,

My father was a gambler.

I’ve been in Las Vegas all week, walking through smoky casinos with flashing lights, bells, and bad music. Near the end of his life, my father loved Vegas.

My father was a gambler. I am not. Except for the ways I am.

In the past, I’ve written about running toward danger despite not being an adrenaline seeker. I only run toward danger when it feels important. When someone is in peril or the world is on fire.

The gambles I take feel similar. I’m willing to gamble on things that feel important, or to at least take calculated risks. I risked working a series of weird jobs so I had time for writing and other forms of creativity. I’ve taken risks on friendships and other intimate relationships even though they didn’t pan out long term. I’ve taken risks with magic.

Every time I sit down to write, there’s some element of risk. No matter how lighthearted the piece may be—my corgi or witch and cat mysteries for example—I have to reach for something that connects, with emotions and situations that are real, despite the sometimes outlandish scenarios. Publishing is risky on several fronts…

But mostly? I have had to learn to take risks in order to learn. I’ve taught myself to gamble on my curiosity. As a smart, intense, weird (and turns out autistic) child who was punished for not knowing the answers immediately by that same gambling parent, I took on a terrible lesson: I would only attempt things I felt naturally good at.

So, as an adult I had to teach myself to learn. I’ve gambled on that, over and over. I’m in Vegas because I want to learn from other writers, publishers, and experts in my field. I want to have rich conversations. I want to meet readers. I want to grow.

What do you gamble on, and how do you learn? I’d love to know.

Best Wishes - Thorn