If one advances confidently in the direction of one’s dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
–Henry David Thoreau
I read Thoreau early in my life–and often. As a budding “environmental thinker” before the end of high school, I know I at least read some excerpts of his work in 10th grade English–and I still have the well-worn and annotated copy of Walden I purchased for a course at New College in 1984. Since that older book has become too fragile to frequent, I have a newer, hardcover version that I go to for reading now.
As much as I admire Thoreau–his beard choice AND his unwavering pursuit of HIS life–following his path is not always easy–his quote about advancing “confidently in the direction of one’s dreams” lacks reference to one vital component–endurance. While, I think it may be implied, I think it’s important to note that the journey to success he alludes to may take some time–more time than most people imagine when they set off down a particular road.
But coming from an endurance racing background–familiar with the build-up of training involved in reaching a goal–persevering in the long-haul is always a part of my plans–even now as I pursue my writing (in addition to my race business) with more focused vigor. I’m in this for life and as such realize the way to success is a process–a long-term process–even with regards to one work.
Writers put themselves and their work out there–open for all to see, read and critique. I’ve been lucky enough with Wendall’s Lullaby to get some very good reviews–people who couldn’t put the book down. I’ve also been lucky to get some very critical reviews–harshly worded enough to sting my ego, but mostly filled with comments that, once I put ego aside, are helpful in creating a better work.
With those critiques in mind, I’ve been updating the text of Wendall’s Lullaby–with the goal of uploading a better version to Amazon within the next day or so. While there are many downsides to being a self-published author, one of the advantages is the ability to quickly edit, adapt, improve and “republish.”
So while I complete my update (and continue work on the follow-up tentatively titled The Delphys Effect), I thank Henry David Thoreau for pulling me down the rocky and fulfilling road of living the life which I have imagined.
One of the basic tenets of writing is “write what you know.” Well, there are many people who know me and are wondering, “How does Kip know dolphins?”
The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau was what drove my interest in dolphins and in being underwater. My friend Jack and I bought snorkeling gear–mask, snorkel, fins and (for some reason) dive knives. We found a place along Sandy Hook Bay (near a small fuel tank farm) where a concrete-encased pipeline had turned into a small artificial reef. With sometimes a whopping five feet of visibility we’d snorkel along the “reef”–observing fish, little anemones, crabs and mollusks. As a shell collector, I was always interested in the various snails, oysters and mussels we found.
One of the challenges I knew I would face once I dove back into “serious” writing was finding a balance between writing and other things that are important in my life–my family, my workouts and my Endeavor Racing/Life’s A Beach Triathlon events.
Since that time, I’ve been inspired (by notes I found stashed in a box) to start my follow-up to 
I’ve been drawn to writing in the mornings for much the same reasons–the refreshed focus, mental clarity, high energy and quiet beauty of the morning. Of course, this puts me directly at odds with getting in my workouts/training.
In other ways, it messes with the head of the Kip who likes to feel fit and healthy. So, as I move forward trying to balance these elements of my life, I’m especially working on fine-tuning my morning workouts so that they are more efficient–in the amount of time I put in and the results that I get. It means more use of the Concept2 Rower and the local streets for rowing and running intervals. It means more circuit-style workouts that incorporate full-body movements. And, it means putting in more efficient time on the water–more intervals in the surfski and less of the long, steady grinds (except with my OC6 crew) I love.
Book reviews are essential to adding credibility to a work that might not have been published through traditional means. Without the assistance of a traditional publisher putting the work in the hands of a reviewer, the responsibility falls on the writer.
In the meantime, check out these two reviews:
One of my favorite locations in 
The Kindle (and Kindle App for those with Apple products) edition of Wendall’s Lullaby is now available on Amazon.
Kip Koelsch Author 