Hello, and welcome to the March issue of Dream Chasers! I’m going to start with something that many people who are chasing their dreams deal with: rejection.

The library rejected me. You read that right. The library rejected me. Me! A writer!

Now, I said that for dramatic effect. Yes, it’s true, the library said no when I asked if I could leave a hard copy of this very newsletter on a table near the exit where other local informational material is left for patrons to take on their way out. I was told that they really only allow charities and non-profits to place materials there, due to the fact that the library is a government funded entity. Which, objectively, makes a certain sort of sense. I guess.

Don’t get me wrong. The wonderful woman I spoke with was so kind and sympathetic and helpful regardless of telling me no. She helped me brainstorm other places where I might be able to display my newsletter, and even offered to take a few copies and place them in the library staff’s break room. I happily and gratefully accepted. Any opportunity is a good one.

But at the end of the day, a no is still a no. As a writer, I get told no a lot.

Being told no sucks, especially when it’s in reference to your dream. I’m certain the library employee did not intend to smush my dream. She was doing her job, and I 100% respect that. We had a pleasant and helpful conversation, and I expressed my honest, true gratitude. But it still stung. I put a piece of my dream out there and it got smacked down. In one of the most unlikely of places.

So what’s a writer to do? Well, the only thing anyone who is chasing a dream can do: move on. And be grateful. Yes, I am grateful for every time I get told no. It doesn’t sting any less, but it strengthens me, pushes me forward. I choose to view no as the universe's short hand for "keep going, find a different way." And that’s exactly what I will do.

Because what’s the alternative?

Now, I promised to keep you updated on my journey, so here's what's going on with my progress:

I am still waiting on the results for my short story, Serving Size, in the NYC Midnight Short Story competition. In the meantime, you can check it out (and my other stories) and leave some feedback here.

I am more than 10,000 words into my newest manuscript The Prison Library (11,110 to be exact. I know, I couldn't get one more word in there?). I’m going to have to spend much more time writing in order to make my May 1st goal for a completed first draft. Cheer me on over on Twitter at @KristineDonahu7!

Kristine’s BRF, my book review blog, is getting a lot of positive feedback. I’m so excited to be able to incorporate something I love so much into this journey, and to have it well received. I’ve also been able to score some paid book reviews over at Online Book Club. Being able to discover new books and help other authors on their journey is a real treat! Check out both review sites!

And, if you have a book you’d like to me read and review, please feel free to reach out on Twitter or Facebook, or contact me via my website! I'd love to hear from you!

For next month, I have two goals. First, I want to be at least 50,000 words into my manuscript. That is a lofty goal, but certainly one I can achieve. I’ll do a few 10,000-word days where you can track my progress and cheer me on on Twitter and Facebook, so keep an eye out for that.

My second goal is to get a hard-copy of my newsletter in at least one physical location. If you’re in the Connecticut area and have any ideas or suggestions, let me know! You can send locations you think would be willing to do this via my website! Click here! Thanks!

Now onto something really exciting!

This month’s peer highlight is someone I am so happy to know. Rachael Brennan is a fantastic writer and an awesome person! We met in 2018 when, after the Writer’s Digest Annual Conference in NYC, we were both looking for local writers to meet up with. She is one third of our awesome little writing group, and she is someone you should know! And here’s why!.

Rachael started writing in 2011 when she wrote a children’s book, Sam Loves New York, for her baby girl (it’s published on Amazon and is absolutely delightful! Get it here!). But it wasn’t until 2016 when she realized that the writing life chose her. For two years she worked non-stop in every free moment she had towards creating a brand and a voice off of which she could make a living. In 2018 all that hard work paid off with a full-time gig writing articles for an insurance company – her area of expertise. And this is on top of freelance articles on everything from motherhood to burlesque shows to Wile E. Coyote published on websites such as Cracked, Grok Nation, Rebels Market and The Boston Globe.

In addition to all of this, Rachael is starting work on her first non-fiction book, which will use her considerable expertise in the insurance field to identify the cracks and loopholes patients should watch out for while navigating the insurance system – a sorely needed book, indeed.

With all this going on, you would think that Rachael does nothing but write from 5 AM until midnight, right? Nope, she’s also a mother to a brilliant and adorable daughter, a wife, a fur-mommy and a dog walker. Her hard work and perseverance definitely makes me want to be like her!

Follow Rachael on Twitter @rachaelbwriter for links to her latest articles, hilarious snippets from her everyday life, and cute dog pictures. And don’t forget to click the links in this highlight to read Rachael’s articles. And check out Sam Loves New York right here!

Know someone you'd like featured in the Peer Highlight? Send me a recommendation by clicking here!

This month’s good news story comes from my very good friend Kristine Laco! The story, reported by Jon Azpiri, Online News Producer at Global News, reports a harrowing story of a young boy, a dangerous fall, and group of heroic kids.

An 8-year-old boy slipped from a ski lift and was dangling by only the strength of his grip on the adult he was with. A group of young people, whose ages haven’t been reported, leapt into action and created a safety net for the boy to fall into out of plastic out-of-bounds netting. This short article does not do justice to the true heroism of the children that helped without being asked, who sprang to action and saved someone from serious harm or even death for no other reason than because it was right to do so. I strongly encourage you to read Mr. Azpiri’s full story here, and watch the video his article includes. But don’t forget your tissues!

Artists in all forms deserve recognition! The image for this month's Good News story comes from Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash.

If you have a good news story you’d like me to feature, I’d love to hear about it! Click here to send me a story!