Wednesday – A Writer's Words - Falling Forward by Bronwyn Storm

Falling Forward – Bronwyn Storm

John Vorhaus was a writer for the television show The Wonder Years. If you ever watched the program, saw the character interactions and cheered at the genius dialog, then you’ll know why he’s a favorite writer of mine. He also wrote a book called The Comic Toolbox: How to be Funny, Even if You’re Not, and from the book is (one of) my favorite quotes: “Falling flat on your face is still moving forward.”

I’m woman enough to admit I swooned at that quote—and not because I’m hypoglycemic and had waited too long to eat (and it wasn’t ’cause I read the quote, leapt to my feet in delight, and the rapid change in blood pressure left me light-headed.).
Nope, I swooned ’cause it’s a damn good quote.

Okay…so it took me a minute to realize he wasn’t admitting to being a klutz, and we wouldn’t meet one day over coffee at the Clumsy Clinic (off fourth and main, if you’re wondering), where we would exchange stories and compare scars.
Still, the quote held me in its prose-y little grip.

First of off, because it is LITERALLY correct (and I’m ever so literal). Falling on you face is moving forward.

Second, because when you fall, then go to stand/get up, you inevitably take a step (however tiny) forward. So, the quote is doubly correct (cue swoon).

Third, it’s been my experience (expert as it is), that when you fall in the presence of others, someone always comes to help you up. It’s a very cheering thought and comforting fact to know when you fall, you may fall alone, but you’ll rise in numbers.

I love, love, love the idea of falling forward. I like the implied momentum, the idea that if you’re falling on your face, it’s because you’re doing something. You’re taking a risk, trying to reach a goal.

How very heady.

Plus, falling forward implies failing forward, and if you’re failing in the forward-sense, then nothing’s truly a failure. It’s a rush, truly, to know the key to success is effort, not outcome, and the three Ps will always get you that happy ending: perseverance, persistence, and patience…well, that and Polysporin.
Heck, if you’re going to be falling on your face, you’ll need to come prepared…

The Comic Toolbox: How to be Funny Even if You’re Not – John Vorhaus
ISBN-10: 0743201256
ISBN-13: 978-0743201254

About Ethan’s Chase

Still wounded from a disastrous love affair, advertising executive Ethan Phillips has spent the past five years outwitting Cupid with a series of dekes and fakes. Who knew the tricky cherub would get wise?

Rather than piercing Ethan’s heart with an arrow, he douses it with amaretto-flavored milk. A quick visit to the drycleaner and a stern lecture on the dangers of gorgeous, charming women, and he figures he’s made another clean getaway. But when the sexy woman turns out to be Chase Logan, his new systems programmer, Ethan’s got nowhere to run. Suddenly, the man who spent his time running from Cupid, is now looking to borrow a few arrows. Ethan’s ready to give chase and pursue love.

Will he catch the heart of his programmer or just be left catching his breath?

You can buy the book at amazon

Visit the tour page at Pump Up Your Book

Read the Excerpt!

Ethan sighed. In trying to make things better, he had effectively made it worse. The phone now lay under her, and vibrated its digital heart out. His jaw brushed against Chase’s hair as he wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her, peering over her sleeping form, trying to find the phone. She stirred, murmured something, then cuddled into him. His heart boomed and dropped, banged against his ribs and tried to fly on injured wings.
“Ethan?” She whispered his name.

“Yes, I’m here. It’s all right.”

Her sigh content, she snuggled against his chest. He bent his head toward her, fighting emotions quickly transforming themselves from protective to provocative. Chase’s fingers stole along his chest adding fuel to the fire burning within him. She sighed his name; her warm breath fanned against his neck and made his nerve endings sizzle. Her body molded to him, soft, giving, and erotically pliable. Ethan’s hand moved from the small of her back and circled her hips. They pulsed into his touch. In the whisper of his name, Ethan heard her desire and surrender.

Thirteen Things About The Bedtime of the Sky and Other Sleepy-Bye Stories

The Bedtime of The Sky and Other Sleepy Bye Stories is an illustrated Children's book of five of my original bedtime stories in verse. This book was actually written long ago for my nieces and nephew, John, Catherine and Elizabeth, when they were very young children. Although they are now in college, actually two have graduated, I do have a new little reader to write for, my four year old niece Jillian! I love writing poetry and fantasy stories and to mix magic with ordinary experiences. These bedtime stories in verse reflect my idea that there is magic in everyday events. For instance, I just know that there is a Dragon in the sock drawer that eats socks so we cannot find them, or that Dolls have a secret longing to help us clean up our room late at night! A little about myself, I was born in England and although my parents moved us all back to America about a year after I was born, I truly believe that the stories and British classics that I grew up with, have had a huge impact i...

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I never set out to be a writer. Back in 1979, when I entered the Second Form in a 200 year old, all boys, military school called, The Albany Academy, I simply wanted to become a rock n’ roll star. Like Ringo or Keith Moon, I wanted to play drums in a huge rock band, make a ton of money doing it, get lots of girls, and see the world. While most of the uniformed boys sat attentively in math class, taking copious notes, I drew illustrations of huge drums sets and stared out the window. All that changed when for the first time, I was introduced to Frank Nash in my second term English lit and writing course. First thing that caught my attention was the classroom itself. The Academy was an old building even back then, having been built in the 1920s. Made of stone and strong woods, with real blackboards instead of chalk boards, the place seemed like a kind of time warp. A school caught perpetually in the 19th century instead of one that would see the 21st century in only two more decades. But...

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