'What's On Your List?' by Taylor Dawn

Hey, guys! Today I have Taylor Dawn, author of Saving London, to talk about her book and her bucket list.

What’s On Your List?

Guest Post by Taylor Dawn

How are you using your time on this earth?

In the giant picture that we call life, many of us tend to forget what all of this is really about. We are so caught up with trying to find success and happiness, that we miss the things that are right there in front of us. We fail to do the things we’ve always wanted to do because they become daunting tasks that might involve some

sort of pain, or even sponge too much of our time. But what if you found out today that you only had a certain amount of time left? What if you were able to look at your life’s clock and see the remaining minutes tick by? Would that make you stop and think about the things you haven’t done? Would it make you kick it into high gear and get to it? I choose not to wait until I hear the tick of the clock hands as they pass by each number. So much so, that this entire premise inspired a book. A book that took on a new life and morphed into so much more than I could’ve ever imagined. So I ask you…what’s on your list?

I’ve had a bucket list for quite some time now. On it are items that some would say are completely out of reach for someone like me. What type of person am I? Well, I’m the person whose spine is partially made up of rods and screws. I’m the person who shouldn’t be able to do much, but I refuse to cave to the fact that I am not the same as I was years ago. My body may be broken, but my spirit burns bright. For my character, London, in Saving London, the same holds true. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was handed a death sentence and expected to go home and wait for the end to find her. But London is a lot like myself. She refuses to rot away and compares herself to a banana. Sitting on a counter and rotting away like a banana won’t do. Embarking on an adventure for her last year is the only way she wants to live for the rest of her time. Would you do that? Would you sell off your worldly possessions to fund the adventures on your bucket list? Me? I most likely would. Like I said before, London and I have a lot in common. We also share some of the items on our lists. Funny how that happened. She was supposed to have her own list, but when you write a character, sometimes they turn out more like you than you expected. And I know the question burning in your mind right now, I can practically see it spinning so fast that smoke is barreling out of your ears. You can slow down that thought process because I’m going to put you out of your misery. Yes, I will tell you what my bucket list consists of. Not the entire thing, but some of the items.

The first thing on my list is to fly a plane. London and I have this one in common. Now, I’m not looking to get behind the wheel of an American Airlines Jet, we have enough issues with crazy pilots as it is. For me, a crop duster plane will do. I don’t want to do the whole takeoff and landing part either. I’d just like to hold the controls for a bit while I’m in the air. I want to feel like it’s me keeping the bird in the air. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Secondly I wanted to visit what I consider one of the most beautiful places on this earth. A place where I could stand and just take in the environment around me and appreciate it for what it was. I was able to actually check this item off my list in 2010. My family and I visited a tiny island off the coast of Belize called Goff’s Cay. Now, mind you, this miniature island was literally no bigger than a football field. White sand beaches, crystal blue waters and breathtaking scenery below the water. The amount of life bustling beneath the surface was a sight to behold. I can still remember standing on the edge of the sand, letting the clear water lap over my toes, thinking “this is it, this is my most beautiful place on this earth.” When the realization hit me, it was difficult to hold my tears at bay. Checking this item off my list was a spiritual experience that I shall not soon forget.

Goff's Caye. Source

Number three on my bucket list could be comical to some and confusing to others. Here goes…I wanted to make and decorate a three tiered cake. Yes, you heard me right, a cake. I still giggle when I think about it. I’m still not sure why I threw that on my list but there it was. Did I get to do it? Yes I did. It took hours of my time but by the end, I had a slightly lop-sided three tiered cake. But to me, it was beautiful. And hey, topsy-turvy cakes seem to be in style lately. Since I completed it several years ago, I consider myself a trendsetter.

London and I also have “climb a mountain” in common on our bucket lists. In Saving London, she gets to complete this one. And I’ve been able to do so as well. Traveling to Colorado I took on a chunk of rock that was a little over 12,000 feet above sea level. Talk about tiring. But I made it to the peak. I stood there looking down at the tiny town below me thinking “I feel so big, but yet so small.” It was an eye opening experience. You stand at the bottom thinking there’s no way you’ll make it to the top but when you get there, you let out a sigh of relief. I learned a valuable lesson when I climbed. It’s not about the view from the top. It’s the view from the bottom because from the bottom, there’s only one way to go. Up. I took a lot away from that experience that I hold with me to this day. And yes, when I found myself on the top of my mountain, I cried tears of joy. How could you not?

I think I’ll round this out by telling you just one more thing on my bucket list. I don’t want to share the entire thing that somehow doesn’t seem right. But the 5th item is to dance with my son at his wedding. He’s only 10 right now, and I truly hope I get to have him lead me around the dance floor on his big day. But as with everything, we will never know what the future holds.

Life doesn’t offer guarantees. Its rules aren’t written in black and white somewhere for us to find. I believe that we must live each day as if we may not wake tomorrow. Smile plenty, love with all your heart and take stock in the little things that life has to offer. Someday you’ll look back and realize those small things were actually the big things.

Peace, Love and Pages

Taylor Dawn

Saving London

Taylor Dawn

Publication Date: June 9, 2015

Genre: Urban Fantasy

The List. That Signified Finality.

The Journey. That Would Span The Globe.

The Sacrifice. That Would Decide The Outcome.

The Choice. That Could Unleash Evil On Earth.

The End Is Only The Beginning...

“You have terminal cancer.”

London Patterson, a seemingly healthy young woman, had her entire life ahead of her. That was until four little words brought everything to a screeching halt. As the shock and grief begin to fade, London decides to map out her last year and embark on an epic journey to complete a bucket list. She wants to do the things she’s been afraid to do in her life, step out of her self-contained box, and see the world. What she didn’t expect was for a mysterious stranger named Adam to breeze into her life like a breath of fresh air.

Adam offers to help London complete her list on one condition…that she sees it through to the end. Agreeing on those terms, the two set out on an adventure of a lifetime. But London soon realizes that Adam isn’t quite…human. Along their journey odd occurrences happen that cause London to question who or what Adam is and why he’s helping her.

Follow London as she checks off her bucket list in this inspiring new Urban Fantasy novel from Taylor Dawn.

Now Available

About the Author

Taylor Dawn began writing as an item to check off her bucket list. After putting words on paper, she decided that being an author was where she needed to be. She resides on a farm in southern Illinois with her husband, son and a plethora of animals. Taylor is a huge kid at heart. She loves playing practical jokes, challenging her son to a game of Super Mario and rarely rolls out of bed before noon. She enjoys dancing, is perpetually clumsy and has a horrible green thumb. Taylor believes that if you work hard, you must play even harder. To learn more, visit her at: