Move to a Boot and Have a Hoot by Mikal Dawn

There’s a saying out there. I don’t know where it started, but I know my best friend and I would always repeat it when we were faced with a situation that made us roll our eyes and pull out our hair: “What do you do when you live in a shoe? Move to a boot and have a hoot!” It was our way of encouraging each other to get outside of ourselves and whatever mess we were facing and look at the bright side of things.

Well, this year, I’ve found myself in a situation.

My debut novel published in May 2017. The situation? That was the first book in a series of three, and, well…I haven’t published book two yet. And it’s December 2019. Yikes! In my defense, I’ve written two novellas that go between books one and two. And my husband retired from the military after 21 years and we had to uproot our family again and move to another state. But these? They sound like excuses, don’t they? Because they are. Let me just say it out loud: I’m a procrastinator. And I give in to my anxieties. Often. So now that it’s December, I’ve just royally bombed at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, held every November), and I’m barely into writing book two after almost three years (but don’t forget those two novellas!), what am I going to do?

Move to a boot and have a hoot.

When we’re faced with challenges in writing—or just life in general—it’s important that we pull ourselves together and look for the good. How do we do that? Well, first, it’s impossible to do it on our own. We need the Author and Finisher of our faith.

1. Lift our problems off ourselves and put them on Christ’s shoulder. “Cast(ing) all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). He is our Rock, our Provider. Outside of Him, nothing is possible, so why do we keep trying? Trust Him.

2. Set aside a dedicated time to work through the story (or problem you’re facing). I don’t know about you, but when I’m faced with something, it will often infiltrate everything else I do. It’s always on my mind. But when I set aside time to (a) pray about it, and (b) work through it, I find I’m able to get it out of my head and leave it at Christ’s feet much easier. For writing, this means finding the best time of day, plopping myself on the couch with my laptop, latte, and licorice (red, thank you very much), and really focusing.

3. Celebrate! This is the best part of “moving to the boot and having a hoot!” Looking for the good in things, even if they aren’t directly related to writing or whatever issue you’re facing, really helps with our attitude. Whether it’s going for a jog (yeah, not me thanks!) or throwing yourself a little dance party in the kitchen (definitely my speed—I even had a dance party while cleaning my kitchen this morning), when you find joy in the midst of the hard, that shoe mysteriously turns into a boot, giving you a little more breathing room. 

When we’re faced with challenges in writing—or just life in general—it’s important that we pull ourselves together and look for the good. via @MikalDawn #SeriouslyWrite #amwriting

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Mikal Dawn is an inspirational romance author, wedding enthusiast, and proud military (retired) wife. By day, she works as an administrative assistant for an international ministry organization, runs her kids to all their sports, and drinks lots of coffee. By night, she pulls her hair out, wrestling with characters and muttering under her breath as she attempts to write while dinner is burning. And drinks lots of coffee. 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.

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Mikal now lives in Oklahoma with her husband, Mark, two of their three children, and one lazy, ferocious feline who can often be found taking over her Instagram account. Find Mikal on mikaldawn.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.


Embrace the magic of the Christmas season with these contemporary twists on timeless tales.

Upon a Dream — A rare sleeping disorder keeps Talia from performing, but when Philip recognizes her gift, he’ll do whatever it takes to see her onstage. 

Claim My Heart — Li Na and Colin Wen face off in a Mulan-esque courtroom battle where the real win might be losing their hearts.

A Snow White Christmas — Sheltered heiress Amala White flees her conniving stepmother’s plans and finds refuge with a handsome orchard owner and his seven quirky uncles.

Christmas Ella — Reality TV meets Cinderella story when a location director is swept off her feet by a rising star.

A Splash of Love — Las Vegas glitz meets Land of Enchantment culture in A Splash of Love, a modern twist on the Little Mermaid.

Available on Amazon for ebook (and Kindle Unlimited) and paperback.

A Dream That Became Something Entirely Different by Mikal Dawn

Mikal Dawn

Here at Seriously Write, we celebrate the ways our writers’ lives are similar—yet, often different. For some, the journey to publication is straight ahead, but for others, the road may take them into unexpected areas. Author Mikal Dawn shares her personal experiences. 

~ Dawn 

A Dream that Became Something Entirely Different

It was three years ago, right around this time, that I finally started to take my writing seriously. It wasn’t that I thought I was good, or that I had dreams of fame or fortune (um, especially no dreams of fortune—that is definitely a very rare occurrence!). It was the quiet, gentle, constant voice of the Lord nudging me.

Can I admit that, when I joined the American Christian Fiction Writers association, I felt like a complete fraud? I knew everyone starts somewhere, and I knew it would be a process to build up to publication, but I thought everyone else had it all figured out immediately. It wasn’t until a well-known bestseller told me her first drafts were “downright ugly” that I realized every writer starts from the same place. And wow, did that make a difference. But it was my first critique—my first, very brutal critique—that pushed me out of my comfort zone.

I had no idea what she was talking about when the editor told me I had too much “telling” and too many clichés. I didn’t understand about “head popping” and the difficulty of writing a character who was mute (what was I thinking?!). I left that meeting feeling down, but I knew it wasn’t over. That meeting fanned a small flame that turned into a raging fire.

I joined a critique group through ACFW and met ladies who are now lifelong friends. They taught me, helped me through the rough few chapters of that original story before I set it aside and began a fresh story. And then after a few chapters of that story, they rolled their eyes behind their backs (I’m absolutely positive they did) as I started a third manuscript. This third one is what became my debut novel. I wrote it over the summer in 2016 while my kids were out of school, right before the ACFW conference. I finished that baby, polished it, and brought the first three chapters with me to the conference. And much to my shock, had interest from everyone I’d presented to! When I came home, however, there was that quiet, gentle voice again, telling me “No.”

What had been a dream to be traditionally published became something entirely different. I never did send my manuscript in to the agent and editors. Instead, I pursued indie publishing. It’s a lot of work—all creative decisions are yours (yay!), but so is the financial obligation. The support of the indie publishing community, however, is rich and powerful and oh-so encouraging. If this is a route you’re considering, please reach out to authors you know are indie published, including myself!

Publishing, no matter which road you take—traditional or indie—is hard work with little financial reward, but knowing you’re following the road God has laid out for you, knowing He is pleased with your obedience, is absolutely priceless. So go, follow that road.

“Write this for the next generation, that a people yet to be created will praise the LORD” Psalm 102:18 (International Standard Version).

If She Dares

If She Dares

He’s a board game champion, but can he win her heart?

Lia Walker burned the bridges—and her boss’s tie—when she quit her job at a car dealership to go work for the chancellor of a prestigious university. But when she arrives only to find out she can’t start her job, she’s burning with only one question: how will she pay her rent?

Garrison McGarville returned from working in Europe a champion—of a Ticket to Ride board game tournament. But his latest job—informing a distressed beauty she doesn’t actually have a job yet—has him feeling more like a loser.

When Garrison comes up with what he hopes is a game-winning move, will Lia dare to accept?

Mikal Dawn is an inspirational romance author, wedding enthusiast, and proud military (retired) wife. By day, she works as an administrative assistant for an international ministry, runs her kids to all their sports, and drinks lots of coffee. By night, she talks to figments of her imagination as she attempts to write while dinner is burning. And drinks lots of coffee. 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.

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Mikal now lives in Oklahoma (and praying it’s their last home!) with her husband, two of their three children, and one ferocious feline. Connect with Mikal on mikaldawn.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Romance Readers Café.