I have loved writing since I was a child but thought I
wanted to become an artist. My sisters, Bobbi and Dianne, are the artists.
After my art teacher, Margaret Colacino told me in high school that I should
become a writer, her comment nested in my brain for decades. The problem? I
didn't think I had anything important to write. I didn't have a college degree,
took only one course in Creative Writing, and walked out in an immature huff
just weeks into the course.
Then, at a class reunion, a former classmate told me about
his writing and poetry. I realized in that discussion that I did have something
to say and that I could write. If nothing else, I have a seriously wild
imagination, and I could paint a movie with words! And so I have with the TIDES
Series. I have never felt more fulfilled, never loved anything so much (aside
from God, my country, my family, friends, and critters!), and never felt more
accomplished. I tell you this not to diminish my books (oh, she didn't even go
to college--don't confuse intelligence and creativity with education!), but
more to encourage you that if you have a story to tell, tell it. Write it down
(on a computer, of course) and ask your friends to help you proof it, edit it,
and publish it with or without a literary agent. Pray about it, and God will
open the way for you just as He did for me. Everyone has a story to tell--even
the most humble among us.
If you read a book, write a review even if you think the
book is just a "1" or worse. Not everyone is going to write like
Margaret Mitchell or Rudyard Kipling, but still, their words can have merit if
they touch your heart. Most of all, read or write for the pure love of doing
either!
