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Leigh Hershkovich’s writing career began almost at infancy. Born and raised in The City by the Bay, Leigh was never seen without a pen and paper by her side, and was never without a story to share. With her vivid imagination and sharp writing tactics, she has taken the world by storm twice over. Now, with her debut novel Shattered Illusions, readers will get a first time glimpse into her first full fiction attempt.
An
avid reader, accomplished pianist, passionate scholar of the language and the
arts, Leigh currently resides in New York with her imagination.
I
am not a person that gives up easily. I have endured many trials and
tribulations in my life, as a writer mainly, but even in my day to day
experiences. During those times, I have always tried to keep my chin up and a
smile on my face. Giving up wasn’t usually an option for me, and even at times
that I gave in, I did so with a heavy heart.
That is not to say that there were never times where I felt that my
situation in life was hopeless and unbearable, because it truth, there were
times where I spent more time feeling hopeless than hopeful. It is not easy to constantly keep a smile on
your face and look at the bright side of every situation. Yet, when I look
back, I realize how much stronger all of the trials made me. It is difficult to
imagine that I would be the same person that I am, or that my writing would be
anywhere near as good as it is now, without the push to succeed pulsing through
my veins.
As time goes by, I have noticed that a lot of
my motivation to keep pushing forward comes from people telling me to do the
opposite. When I first embarked on the journey of writing my first novel
(Shattered Illusions, due out from Full Court Press May 23rd), there were so
many factors in my way, the most shocking being the reactions of my friends and
peers. The disapproving looks and remarks I received were unbelievable. I knew
that getting published was hard, but I had my mind set to it, and it was
definitely well worth a try. There were people who went as far as to tell me
that making attempts to get published was fruitless and a waste of time. It was
especially painful to hear from people that I was very close to. But, I kept
pushing. I continued working my manuscript and tried to ignore the nay sayers.
Though I eventually proved them wrong, these types of people are everywhere.
From agents to reviewers, I found a full variety of people across the spectrum
who whole heartedly told me to give up hope and find something more practical
to do with my life. That only made to want to work that much harder.
The truth is that I have no recipe
for success. My success so far has been a clear act of Divine Providence. I
have seen miracles in this process, as I am sure I will see with every novel
I put out for the rest of my life. A
person must be willing to work long and hard for what they believe in. Passion
and perseverance are the first steps in a long road down what may sometimes me
a very harrowing journey. It’s important to stay grounded and remain intact to
your beliefs, no matter how hard the road becomes. I started writing Shattered
Illusions when I was eighteen. And now, here I am, a mere six weeks from
publication, with a new head on my shoulders and a new world of understanding
inside my head. I could have very easily given up so many times. It’s impossible
to know what will come your way, and many times, the obstacles felt like they
would break me. And, sometimes they did.
Had I given up, my life would have
been very different. I truly believe that what my passion and will lead me to
the finish line of this goal. It was incredibly difficult and there were times
where I felt that the whole world was out to get me and stop me from achieving
my goal. Nothing is more satisfying than reaching the finish line. Of course,
sadness and anger are easier. It is easier to surrender to your emotions rather
than fight. Fighting for what you want is never easy, even if the goal seems
simple. The most important thing I have learned in my journey to becoming a
published author is to never give up on what I truly believe in.
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