We all have our gifts—whether it’s the gift to write poetry that amuses and delights or pulls at the heart strings; the gift to create warm, wacky, inspiring, romantic, suspenseful, or futuristic stories that unravel a magic carpet inviting the reader to “come to another world …”; the gift to identify pain and resolve it via an action plan created; the gift to explain and educate in the massive “how-to” categories in a language that anyone seeking can understand; and the gift to connect words to the world of kids.
Yes, the title above fits me when I put my final words on book #49, Appetizers with Judith that will become available at the end of this month. Throughout the month, I was also working with clients on their books. That’s normal for me. One writes poetry where as I read through, I’m thinking Whoa, this is deep … or wow, this touches my heart. Two others are business and lifestyle; two memoirs; one is life insights woven with ahas, whimsy, and take action; two are in the fantasy world; and another mystery is circling.
And then, there is me with my cookbook #49 and I’m up to my writing ideas for #50, book 4 The Secret Awakening with Brian Barnes that is at the two-thirds mark of completion. Over a planning session, we realized that we had to do book 5 to tie up the series. Then we could let it go.
Meanwhile, I was sharing an experience I had on my back deck one Saturday morning with an author I worked with who has become a close friend, and another book idea bubbled up between the two of us. One we see as small, intimate type of book from the heart.
I’m in awe and envy of the amazing story telling and writing of fiction authors. I never thought that I had the ability to come up with off-the-wall ideas, plots of intrigue/betrayal seduction/fantasy that take the reader on a truly delicious reading adventure.
I thought my only writing gift was to write nonfiction—to discover the pain and deep dive into solutions to relieve and resolve and present them in a way that my reader gets and can use. And to coach and mentor other authors to bring there words alive.
Little did I know I would enter fiction authoring … and little did I know that I would become a cookbook author.
Writing is a gift.
The gifts we authors and writers have really know no boundaries. Each carries the most fabulous power. Here’s to us!
Dr. Judith Briles is the award-winning and bestselling author of 49 books and calls Colorado home. When she’s not in the kitchen or in the garden, she’s working with clients as The Book Shepherd, a book and publishing consulting and project management firm that works with authors at all stages of their book to create and publish a book they never regret! She’s the founder of the first Authors’ Hall of Fame exclusively dedicated to ensuring the legacy of authors connected in some way with Colorado.
Judith’s books have been translated into 17 countries with over 1,000,000 copies sold! They have been featured in over 2,000 radio and TV shows including repeat appearances on CNN, CNBC, and Oprah. She has worked with over 1,500 authors and created 500 plus bestsellers. Print publications include Newsweek, People, Time, The Wall Street Journal and … The National Enquirer! Her popular podcast, AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing is dedicated to authors and writers and their success and is ranked in the top ten in four categories on GoodPods.
©2026 Judith Briles – The Book Shepherd™ All Rights Reserved.