My Muse. An Author’s Valentine’s Day Tribute

According to Wikipedia: The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses of the inspiration of literature, science and the arts…

 I’ve often referred to my muse in the dedication pages of my novels, and she truly is like a goddess of inspiration for me.  I’m speaking of course of my beautiful wife.

How blessed I am to have someone who loves a great story as much as I, and who comes from a very different upbringing (she’s from China, I’m all-American–born ‘n raised.)  Not only that, she loves to listen to me go on and on about different book ideas, and gets excited with me about future projects.  She reads everything I write and follows closely with interest as I develop characters, plots, and over all stories.   But here’s what’s so special: For all of the ideas I run by her, she gives me so many great suggestions to make them even better.  She’s even given me killer twists that ended up in my books that I had never thought of (for example, the twist in the final courtroom scene in BEYOND JUSTICE–one of my favorite scenes.)

Part of me wants to be able to say I did it all by myself, without any help.  But as I mature, I’ve come to understand that no great success happens in a vacuum.  It comes with the help of those who love and support you, who add great value to your life with their very presence, perspective, and wise counsel.  I am a product of those who have loved and supported me, not the least of which, my wife.

So today, on Valentine’s Day, I count myself supremely blessed to have known the love of my life for almost 30 years, and to have been married to her for nearly 20.

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.”  –Proverbs 18:22

I’ve found it and have received that favor, and so much more.

Here’s to you, wife, my muse and my love!

 

 

 

Joshua Graham is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, winner of the International Book Award and Forward National Literature Award. His thrillers include DARKROOM, LATENT IMAGE and BEYOND JUSTICE, and TERMINUS. Graham's works have been characterized as thought-provoking page-turners.

Legal Notice: All information on this website and blog are from Mr. Graham's personal experience and insight and should not be viewed in any way, directly or inferred, as qualified professional advice.

All creative writing on this website or Mr. Graham's books: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. (novels, short stories)