Post Production

Once I decided to write The Privileged I pictured an amazing script for a movie would follow.  Now that there was a story I figured anything was possible, including agents, producers, actors, and a director.  I wrote the story for eight years keeping these things in my mind the entire time, but I also pictured what things would look like in Post Production.  I thought it was the perfect analogy for life.  We spend so much time agonizing how perfect we want our lives to be, the perfect film with a happy ending. I thought about exactly what it would take when it came to my vocation and what would be my happiest of endings.  Now that there was this amazing film called The Privileged I decided what would make it even greater were all the people who were signed on to complete the film such as the editors and the musicians.  I even pictured John Williams of film scoring fame accepting the project.  Why not?  It's my dream so why not dream big.  That's why I envisioned the film winning big at the Academy Awards.  I believe faith will decide the outcome. 

Refuse To Compromise Your Faith

I was so discouraged about my faith that to write about the Catholic church seemed pointless.  Probably the point most disturbing to me was that I could have worked on writing a book for another hundred years to make every word perfect and still not see it reach the hands and eyes of another.  But then comes a day when you realize that to live a life of Faith commands a certain attitude.  An attitude of whatever I say I can accomplish I will accomplish.  That when someone says it can't be done you show them that it can be done and then some.  That even when someone is bold enough to predict your own failures but not inventory their own that you discover your own boldness and dig deep within yourself and find every single treasure that the universe gave to you from the very beginning.  This means that when it comes to your faith, your vocation, your life that you refuse to compromise, you refuse failure, you refuse to negotiate with anyone and settle for less than all of your dreams.  That's all you can do sometimes when nothing else is coming to pass. You refuse to compromise all that you believe about yourself and allow determination to be the driver of your spirit.  All it takes is one.  One kind person.  One big break.  One hopeful word.  One single day that you would not have known had it not been for one uncompromising dream.  Don't settle.  In fact, don't doubt that the one day you'd always dreamed about is about to discover you.

Finding Your Path

I can promise you that taking the time to explore faith will only lead to exciting things in your life.  When I first started writing The PriVILEged I had no idea what faith was and I was 33 years old.  A funny thing about 33.  I had no idea that the same age when Jesus died would be the same time when my life would come crashing down to point of my own death.  It was then that I said, "I don't want to die but then again I really don't want to live." I had no idea what was happening to me.  I'd seen myself since middle school age being someone special with gifts and talents that would carry me through the rest of my days.  As faith would have it, I was heading South on the freeway when I should have been heading North.  I'd been moving in a direction of sadness and despair when I was supposed to be moving in a direction of joy and excitement.  But like the driver heading South on the freeway who learns that he'd missed the exit, he had to find the next off ramp and come to a complete stop before he could turn around and move in the right direction.  If my life hadn't been moving at such a fast pace, I might have been introduced to my purpose much sooner, but because I couldn't do it on my own, it would take the hands of faith to show me ten years later that there was a place for me and my talents after all but designed in such a way that I would never again question who I am as a mystery writer. Checkout what I'm talking about and read for free the first three chapters of The PriVILEged.  I've tried to send out this book on my own and it simply hasn't worked.  What the book needs is your faith in me.  This is the only way my purpose will move forward.  As I've done with my faith, I will leave the decision in your hands.  JW

One More Time Around

I can recall when I was writing The PriVILEged that I simply had to quit.  My health was declining, my attitude was irreversibly negative, and I couldn't stop all the doubt that'd surfaced between writing sessions. It was like my thoughts had taken me hostage and threatened to kill me if I didn't quit writing.  By this time, I'd also failed at becoming a musician and I'd received close to two hundred rejections in radio where I desperately wanted to succeed. My relationships were struggling and my tears were a non-stop reminder that I was losing hope in the happy ending.  But, I didn't quit.  For eight years I didn't quit and I persevered writing a story that I knew only I could tell.  I couldn't be more pleased that I didn't quit such an endeavor. I have no idea where the book will go.  However, I know this much.  It's tangible and awaiting a miracle and I can live with that.  I just can't live with quitting. 

Life's Conclusion

I think we forget how precious a birthday is.  After all, a million things could happen in any given year that could bring about the end of our days.  My son is celebrating his 16th birthday today and he could have experienced a life-ending event by now, but he hasn't, which means that our faith in him as a family must press on. After almost five decades of life, I'm learning that there is something more we must do, something we must accomplish, before our lives conclude.  Just saying the word "conclude" makes me wonder how long or short the novel about my life really is. For me, I know I can be a better husband and take my wife out on more dates. I can be a better father and teach my children even more of the wisdom I've gathered over the years.  I can even be a better friend, writer colleague, business owner, and so on.  I've often thought about it.  Do I want to accomplish these things with faith or without it?  We both know we can do it either way, and believe me I've tried both ways, but for me, the difference is the possibility of an extraordinary life with faith that I might have missed out on otherwise.  Because with faith, we know that all that we are to accomplish in life is for a reason.  Without it, we might never know our true purpose and completely understand it.

Not For Nothing

I have spent the past four months working with adult offenders.  At first, I found my heart to be lonely and somewhat sad, but now that dust has settled following my shift from working with juvenile to adult offenders, I sense a greater purpose for my life, as should you during such a time as a layoff.  This is a time that is not for nothing.  Just when I was at my weakest point in my life last week, I've since discovered so many answers to questions that were raised years ago just by calling upon faith and sleeping for ten hours.  Up to this point, it has felt as if my life was being lived for nothing.  But that simply isn't true.  Turns out, my life is ridden with purpose with not only much to give, but for the first time in I can't remember how long, I have much to receive. This life is not for nothing.  It is for something big.

Commit To Your Dreams

Recently, I was laid off from a good-paying job and was told by my family to give up my dreams and just let The PriVILEged settle on a cyberspace bookshelf collecting space dust.  After six-months into promoting the book, I still have no fans, so the heat is on to forego my dreams and instead work to bring other's dreams to life.

Here's what I think about my current life situation. Count on the fact that the road to fulfilling your dreams will not be easy and ridden with tests that pressure you and wear you down until you're willing to commit that your dreams are the only things that you desire for your life. 

I'll do my part to put The PriVILEged into the Universe and then I'll let the fans decide.