Katie Aiken Ritter

We all dream, don't we? We work so hard, and hope that each book reader leads to another and another, and that one day our book, our beloved project, will reach our goal.

For most of us, the goal is not a dream of fame. It is simply about doing a good enough job to earn recognition from our peers and from readers - the people we exist to serve.

For some of us, it is to simply be published. For others it is the joy of having our work read. Fo many of us - and this includes me - it is to earn enough from our writing to earn enough income to pay our bills.

I want to earn my living as a writer of novels.

Before and beyond that, I want to accomplish good, quiet stuff in my life. I want to work on peace, on the environment, art, aging well. I want to be a good mom...a really, really good mom, because it's the most important thing...and a good partner to my husband.

I believe we should question everything. I'm committed to believing in the possible. I love to think about universal constants.

I believe that that kindness requires much more strength and is far more effective than self-righteousness, and that true good triumphs over evil because it's just so darned much harder to do...and that’s what makes it stronger.

I believe that truth is harder to tell than fiction, but that good fiction, well-written, tells truths in ways we might otherwise not make time or attention for. I believe that humor and music are two of the most powerful forces of change we have. Music touches us more deeply. Humor is faster.

And in case all this sounds just too too serious, I freakin' love to dance.

Live a life. Don't just practice living one.