“Going To California”

I recently dusted off my CD collection in search of the classic Led Zeppelin song “Going To California.” People have been debating the meaning to that song for years. Some believe it refers to love and Robert Plant (and/or Jimmy Page’s) infatuation with Joni Mitchell. Others believe it’s a reference to Lord Of The Rings. Still others believe it’s about the quest for the promised land – dreamers in search of their dreams. In any case, it’s a great song.

I thought about that song this past weekend when I was en route to Toronto for the Bloody Words conference of crime fiction writers. I was intrigued by the line, “Took my chances on a big jet plane, never let them tell you that they’re all the same.” This hit home for me, particularly at 35000 feet in the air, given my love/hate relationship with flying. But the line also resonated on another level in the sense of needing to step outside our comfort zone from time to time in pursuit of our dreams.

I thoroughly enjoyed the conference. The workshops were great and I met a few agents and a number of writers, both published and unpublished-the latter of which share the dream of one day joining the hallowed ranks of published writers. I left Toronto feeling rejuvenated and inspired.

Of course, there are no guarantees that this conference will yield immediate tangible results in my writing career. Much like the flight back to Vancouver, there are bound to be periods of turbulence. But I’m fortunate to have a great wife and a supportive family, who encourage me to step outside my comfort zone in pursuit of my dream.