Take a look at a few of the names the famous whitewater sections have received:
The Gorilla, Go Left and Die, or Nieces Pieces. Not for the inexperienced.
So, when I was invited to join my friend and her extremely talented husband who risks his life every year to run this wild river, needless to say, I was excited.
The hike into and out of the event should’ve given me some idea to the intensity of this race. The first mile and a half was an easy walk, but the last mile was straight down the side of a mountain. We used ropes, roots and limbs as hand holds to keep us from stumbling down the steep embankments. All was fun going down, but climbing back out, almost induced multiple heart attacks along the way. More than one person took breaks on the sidelines trying to breathe.
The sound of beastly rapids reached our ears long before we saw them. Whitewater is a mild term when considering these watery creatures ready to devour any kayaker who isn’t prepared for their wrath.
Over one hundred and fifty racers entered the event, both male and female. The number one place finish was completed in four minutes and four seconds.
Several other kayakers were chomped up and spit out by ‘the gorilla’ with one even busting his eye on the rocks when he flipped upside down. Thankfully, safety crews stationed nearby pulled him out of the raging water.
The one thing I admire about these men and women paddlers is whether they have a good run or not, they never give up. They keep doing what they love in some of the most dangerous conditions.
Writers must also take on that same tough kayaker mentality.
1) Rejection.
When the whitewater waves of rejection pull us down and drown our efforts, we must battle for the win. Even if we are flipped upside down, we must reach for help, regain our footing and try again.
2) Hard work.
The climb might be hard and laborious, but we must push through the pain and continue. If we quit, then we will never make it back to the truck.
3) Breaks.
Taking breaks when needed is also a must. We need time to catch our breaths, restore our creativity, muster up the strength to move forward with the next story.
For no one ever wins the number one trophy by sitting on the sidelines. They only get wet.
For no one ever wins the number one trophy by sitting on the sidelines. They only get wet. @shannon_redmon @MaryAFelkins #amwriting #persistence #SeriouslyWrite
Shannon Redmon remembers the first grown up book she checked out from the neighborhood book mobile. A Victoria Holt novel with romance, intrigue, dashing gentlemen and ballroom parties captivated her attention. For her mother, the silence must have been a pleasant break from non-stop teenage chatter, but for Shannon, those stories whipped up a desire and passion for writing.
There’s nothing better than the power of a captivating novel, a moving song or zeal for a performance that punches souls with awe. A rainbow displayed after a horrific storm or expansive views on a mountaintop bring nuggets of joy into our lives. Shannon hopes her stories immerse readers into that same kind of amazement, encouraging faith, hope and love, guiding our hearts to the One who created us all.
Shannon’s writing has been published in Spark magazine, Splickety magazine, the Lightning Blog, The Horse of My Dreams compilation book, and the Seriously Write blog. Her stories have been selected as a semi-finalist and finalist of the ACFW Genesis Contest and won first place in the Foundation’s Awards. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. The StoryMoore Blog is named in memory of her father, Donald Eugene Moore.
Connect with Shannon:
www.shannonredmon.com
The StoryMoore Blog
FB: https://www.facebook.com/shannon.redmon
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shannon_redmon @shannon_redmon
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonredmon/
Check out Shannon's story in a compilation with other authors, published by Revell.
The Horse of My Dreams
