Desire

I finally saw the movie Glory Road. Have you seen it? It's based on the true story of Texas Western (now University of Texas at El Paso) and its 1966 men's basketball team, the first all-African American basketball starters to compete at the NCAA level.

There's a line in the movie I found particularly inspiring for authors at all stages of our career - aspiring, multi-published, bestselling. Now, keep in mind this movie is *based* on a true story. Chances are this dialogue didn't really happen.

In the scene, the star basketball player, Bobby Joe Hill (played by Derek Luke) tells his girlfriend, Tina Malichi (played by Tatyana Ali) that it was his dream to play at the NCAA level. Now, not only was he playing at that level, but his team was winning. They could make it all the way to the championship. However, people were trying to break their spirit and take that opportunity from them.

Bobby Joe told Tina he didn't want to want something so badly that someone else could take away.

Tina's response was someone could come along and take any thing away from you. But no one could take away your desire.

Wow. Isn't that the truth?

Our desire is to be published. Certainly along the way we've received rejections from publishers and agents. There are booksellers who won't stock our books; reviewers who won't review our stories. Or perhaps reviewers who give us crushing reviews. But despite these roadblocks and naysayers, we persevere. Because *no one* can take away our desire.

Write on!

Patricia