Wheel of Fortune

Yes, it's true. I did appear on Wheel of Fortune many moons ago and I did win a car. My boys were quite young at the time, so part of the fun was the child-free expenses-paid trip to Adelaide where the show was produced. They shot a week's shows in a half-day and as contestants we got the full hair and makeup treatment and wardrobe advice. And a glass of champagne to settle the nerves...although that might have been the second time around.

Heck, I don't even recall what day of the week I started or how long I lasted. I think it was only two shows. I won the car on the first and some other nice prizes: a week's holiday on a riverboat, a rocking horse, a mountain bike, a pressure cleaner. All I wanted was to get on the phone and call home and yee-haw celebrate.

I do remember the final clue for the car was a place: _ _ _ (space) _ _ (space) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and I knew the answer before any letters were turned. Maybe I need to offer a prize (it might even be a car *vbg*) to the first person who solves the clue in the comments!

Anyway, a year or two later I received a call to say they were doing a Champion of Champions show and I'd limped onto the invitation list. Would I like to come back and reappear? You bet your sweet bippy I would! The format was a little different. From memory they shot three shows that were like heats and the winners played off for the big prize, which was a trip to America. I made the final. I was in front, I knew the final clue. My bags were packed, I was ready to hop on that plane...

And--you guessed it--I bankrupted. Sigh.

With my luck on a downward spiral, it came as no surprise to find my wallet had been stolen from my bag in the studio dressing room. That didn't diminish my enjoyment of appearing on a national TV game-show without making too much of a fool of myself. Lots of people said I was lucky. That they watched the show every day and solved the puzzles much quicker than any of the contestants. Yes, I was lucky but here's the thing--I helped that luck along by finding out how to audition and get on the show. Then I watched, I practiced, I learned.

It's the same with writing. A lot of people say: I've always wanted to write a book but talking about it doesn't win any prizes. The payoff comes when you take action, when you do something toward making your desire a reality. Then, hopefully, a little bit of luck will come your way to supplement all the hard work.