Authors’ Open House: Mikal Dawn

How’s your week going, friend? Mine has been so busy I can’t hardly see straight. This Authors’ Open House has come at the perfect time — all of these sweet women willing to share their thoughts with us and take some pressure off of me to write. God’s so good to provide when we don’t even know that’s what He’s up to. 

So far, we’ve heard from Rachel McMillan, Meghan Gorecki, and Jaime Jo Wright. (Full line-up posted here.) Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to not only a talented, witty writer but also one my of critique partners and dearest friends. Mikal Dawn was put on this earth to champion other writers in their endeavors. I’m so lucky to get first peeks at her rom-com novels. Something tells me you all will be enjoying her clever words before we know it (fingers crossed!). Something else about Mikal that you should know? She makes a wicked tasty “Kit-Kat Latte” that I’ve had the ultimate pleasure of enjoying in her own home. Hospitality at its finest. 🙂

The door’s open, there’s a seat saved for you…so come on in and get ready to chat with Mikal…

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The End of the Road

There is nothing like the feeling of writing “The End” on your manuscript. Especially your first manuscript. I cried tears of joy. Literally. I was crying so hard, even my husband got something in his eyes that made them watery (that’s his excuse anyway).

But what did it take to get to “The End” of the road?

Oh friend. I hang my head in shame.

Laundry Sacrifices

It took loads and loads of laundry sitting on the end of our bed…unfolded. Then being thrown on top of our dresser each night. My husband has the patience of a saint. He works hard to provide for our family, but every time he comes home and needs to throw in a load of laundry—or fold it at midnight—he does so with a smile and a kiss for me.

Dinner Mishaps

It took so many nights of burnt dinners that my husband has now taken over cooking duties. (Seriously, you should see what I did to some poor bacon the other night…and the smoke that filled the house.) But in my defense, he’s a really good cook! And creative. And I’m not. At all. As a matter of fact, I despise cooking. I’d have our family eat out for every meal, if that was reasonable. (I’m told it’s not.)

Medication

It took so much ibuprofen, I should really have bought stock in it. It also took a lot of acetaminophen. When you’re sitting in one position, squinting at a screen (which reminds me, I need to fill my eye prescription), your mind tends to do so much that it ends up causing pain. Is it worth it? Of course. Especially for the makers of Motrin, Tylenol, and Excedrin Migraine.

More Than Just Head Pain

Writing “The End” took back—and bum!—pain from sitting so many hours on my corner of the couch. Did you know there are times when your legs can fall asleep and you don’t even know it? I do. I also know just how fast legs can fall asleep; it’s like they’re trained to sleep the moment you get into writing position.

Pain also included a burn on my leg from my laptop. (I’d show pictures because it’s totally true, but no one wants to see my pasty thigh.) Seriously. I think it’s a permanent burn. Nice pink spot.

Speaking of my laptop, it took many restarts and words mumbled under my breath (no swearing, I promise).

Can procrastination be considered a pain? I say yes. And I should know, because I’ve been crowned the Queen. I started writing Catch Me many, many months ago, but only got the first 10,000 or so words done. In the past four weeks, I’ve written the rest. #procrastinationqueen

Odd Fashion Choices

Odd? I’d call it more “comfortable,” but others may not look at it the same way I do. Writing “The End” took yoga pants and my hair not being brushed unless I had to go out in public—and even then, I sometimes just threw that hair of mine up in a top knot.

But I promise I brushed my teeth every day.

But writing also took…

Hard work, you guys. And not just my own. It took many, many praying family and friends. It took time away from my author friend’s own writing time to call, text, or message me words of encouragement. It took the patience of my husband and three kids. And their constant reading over my shoulder and giggling in my ear. It took God’s strength, words, and gifts. Because with Him, this story would not be brought to life. It’s His story.

Everything we do, everything we are, is because of His gifting in our lives. It doesn’t come easy, but it’s so worth it. We each have a story to tell, whether through writing, music, painting, acting, cooking (don’t involve me in that one, please), or speaking. That story is God’s story. The story of His Son. Because everything we do, we do for Him.

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
(1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV).

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About Mikal Dawn

Mikal Dawn is an aspiring inspirational romance author, wedding enthusiast and proud military wife. She also blogs for a local ministry, works as a social media assistant, and volunteers as a Key Spouse for her husband’s squadron. When she isn’t writing about faith, fun, and forever, she is obsessively scouring Pinterest (with coffee in hand, of course!) for wedding ideas for her characters.

Mikal lives in Nebraska with her husband, Mark, and their three children and one ferocious feline. Find Mikal on mikaldawn.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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TODAY’S TWEETABLE:

Author @MikalDawn visits the #AuthorsOpenHouse today and chats
about what #writers go through to get to #TheEnd of the road. — TWEET THIS!