Welcome to Vickie Rubin author of the award winning memoir, Raising Jess: The Story of Hope. She has also written a special post for us about how she changed her stance from I should write a book to I am writing a book. So many of us have gone from that first I should step to the I am step and became successful authors.
Gee I should Write a Book to I am Writing a Book.
by Vickie Rubin, M.S. Ed.
“I should write a book.” This thought often crosses the minds of friends and acquaintances, and it’s a sentiment I hear often, perhaps because I’ve ventured from the idea to the reality. But, how does one transition from the mere thought, ‘Gee, I should write a book,’ to the action, ‘I am Writing a book?’
Writing “Raising Jess: A Story of Hope” came smoothly; however, the decision to START to write took a bit longer. Many puzzle pieces aligned, such as a recent retirement (time), family encouragement (motivation), the concept of the entire book (I’m still waiting for that for book two), and most importantly, the best topic (my inspiring daughter and our family).
I have a master’s in special education and had a fulfilling career working with families of children, birth to five, who required specialized services. Although I did not take writing classes, I loved to put pen to paper in the old days and fingers to keys as time passed.
As a frequent contributor to our local newspaper’s My View page, I knew that at least a few editors agreed that I could write. Online classes, with feedback from the instructor and fellow students, were valuable.
The D words – Dedication and discipline
However, the real secret to writing a book lies in two words – Dedication and Discipline. The day I committed to writing ‘Raising Jess,’ I made a routine of waking up at 6:00 AM to write a chapter. Little did I know that this would become my daily ritual for the next four years. Writing our family’s story demanded unwavering dedication to complete the book and the discipline to write as if I were reporting to a job each day. The fact that Covid was rampant during some of these years only fueled my dedication. What else was there to do but continue writing?
Keep Going
Don’t get me wrong; there were days that I couldn’t come up with an idea for the next chapter. There were also times when the chapter didn’t quite come together as I had hoped. The key is to accept these days as part of the process. Don’t give up – Instead, write something else or take another class to stimulate new ideas. The crucial thing is to keep moving forward.
Learning Curve
I never thought I would use the terms SEO, create memes, learn how to pay taxes for book sales, pitch, hooks, or a myriad of new tricks for this past middle-aged dog.
How do you Determine Success?
Cool story: I was fortunate to speak with a fellow author who is a retired Admiral; – His book “Relentless Positivity: A Common Veteran Battling Uncommon Odds,” is a personal story following a service-related spinal cord injury while on active duty. I asked him how I should address you. Admiral? Sir? His reply was, “Call me “wheels,” referring to his wheelchair. Admiral Kyle Cozad (wheels) asked me what I consider success. A simple question that is hard to answer.
Admiral Cozad suggested that success does not necessarily mean the number of books sold. Success is publishing a book, hearing that it made a difference to others, asking to speak as a keynote or on a podcast about your book, and knowing that your book made a difference to many readers. That was a big A-Ha moment for me. I try remembering the admiral’s wise words and sharing his insights with other authors.
You are Never Too Old – Just Do It!
I have friends who published their first book in their seventies. Question to Siri: “Who is the oldest author to write their first book?”:
- Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote her first book, Little House in the Big Woods, at age 65
- Lorna Pate wrote a Dangerous Weakness at age 93 – Hey, Dad, if you are reading this, that’s your age – Hey, Ya never know?
iii. Nirad Chaudhuri published Three Horsemen of the New Apocalypse at one hundred
- VickieRubin Published Raising Jess: A Story of Hope at age 64.
“Gee, I should write a book,” to “I am Writing a book!”
So, that is how I went from, “Gee, I should write a book,” to “I am Writing a book!” I wrote Raising Jess to bring hope, understanding, humor, and perspective to others. The comments from my readers reveal that the book touched their hearts. Whenever I feel like I am done doing this – it is too hard to keep promoting and pushing – I receive a new review, email, or post that tells me otherwise. And I set my alarm for 6:30 and think of new ways to share my message. If you run a book club support group for families, special educators, or medical professionals or work with families of children with disabilities and would like a copy for your group, please contact me at Vickie Rubin.
Thank you, Vickie for your insightful essay.
Book Summary
Raising Jess: A Story of Hope is the powerful story of one family’s survival when faced with adversity. Written with compassion, honesty, and humor, it tells of a family changed forever by the birth of a child with a rare chromosome deletion and their courageous decision to choose hope. Facing the challenges of caring for her daughter, marriage struggles, and the question of having more children, Vickie Rubin gives a glimpse in the world of her family and transformation while raising Jess. This beautiful, gripping memoir will delight and leave you wanting more.
Publisher: Page Publishing
Print length: 250 pages
Purchase a copy of Raising Jess on:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Jess-Story-Vickie-Rubin/dp/166246052X
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raising-jess-vickie-rubin/1139804006?ean=9781662407413%20
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/raising-jess-a-story-of-hope-vickie-rubin/17276491?ean=9781662407413
You can also add this to your GoodReads reading list
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58577631-raising-jess
About the Author
Vickie Rubin, M.S Ed. is a three-time award-winning author of the inspiring memoir Raising Jess: A Story of Hope. The memoir encompasses overcoming marriage struggles, having more children, and the sibling experience. Vickie’s debut memoir won the 2022 Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal Award for Non-Fiction and was a Finalist in the Best Book Award and Books Excellence Award for inspirational memoir.
She is an experienced public speaker and passionate advocate for families of children with disabilities. Vickie’s essays are published in Newsweek and featured in the Buffalo News and guest blogs worldwide. She is a frequent Podcast guest sharing information about raising a child with a disability, inspiring hope, family dynamics, education, and advocacy. Her blog, Vickie’s Views, gives a heartwarming and humorous view of everyday life, including raising a child with a disability, observing daily life, family, marriage, and RV travel.
Before writing her book, Vickie was the director of the Early Childhood Direction Center (ECDC) for Oishei Children’s Hospital, Kaleida Health, a New York State Education Department grant-funded program. Vickie and her husband Mitch celebrated their 44rd wedding anniversary in 2023. They have three children, three grandchildren, and two very active dogs.
You can follow the author at:
Website: https://vickierubin.com/
Vickie’s Views: https://vickierubin.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaisingJessStory/
Instagram: @vickierubin.author
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickie-rubin-aa1a09177/
Twitter/X: @vickierubin
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