Origins

I'm thrilled to be part of this one day blogfest, Origins, or 'where did it all begin.'  This brainchild of DL Hammons, asks us to describe how we started on this crazy, frustrating, wonderful journey to become a writer.  I'm sure there are some interesting stories out there.

Unlike many writers I've met over the years, I had no desire to be an author when I was younger. But I always loved to read.  I think I read every fiction book in the library at our small elementary school. Like lots of kids, I started with novels about animals. Horses (The Black Stallion), dogs (The Call of the Wild) and discovered The Lord of the Rings from Tolkien in junior high school.  It was still a few decades later when I first thought about writing a novel of my own.

At the time I started there were very few fantasy romances being published.  An occasional futuristic novel could be found but they weren't big sellers.  But it was what I enjoyed reading so I finally decided if no one was going to write them, I would do it myself.  I started out writing longhand in a notebook between taking care of four small children, teaching full time and finishing up my master's degree. I also taught aerobic classes in the evenings.  Where did all that energy go? Wish I still had it.
Eventually I convinced my husband we needed a computer and we bought an iMac. Loved that machine. But the smartest thing I did, when I had finished typing that novel into the computer was to join my local chapter of RWA.  Those wonderful people taught me so much about POV, what editiors wanted and even how to find out where to submit my novel.  It was there I also learned about Pennwriters, a state-wide group that hosts a first rate conference each May. It took many rewrites, but I eventually found a publisher for that first novel.

New Concepts Publishing, one the oldest and most successful of the small independent publishers who were at the forefront of the ebook revolution, took on The Greater Good.  I experienced the editing process and started the ongoing process of learning about promotion. Since then, they've published five more of my fantasy romances.  Even though they published The Greater Good a number of years ago, every quarter it continues to earn a good income. 

I think the origin of my writing career is rather mundane but I feel good about how far I've come.  I'm not making mega-millions or even one million, but I'm doing okay.  No one has made a movie of any of my books, but I've received some great reviews and nice letters from readers.  I feel good about my writing career though I hope to do better. If you want to know the stories behind more writers careers, visit Cruising Altitude 2.0.

Did you always want to be a writer?  Do you like knowing a little more about the authors you read or don't you read the rear flaps to learn about the writer?