Writing my first blog. YIKES!!! I’ve never followed blogs. I’ve never had any desire to write a blog and here I am sitting at my computer wondering where this is going. I love writing and how a story just suddenly happens in my head. I guess if I want to talk about anything then it should be about how this amazing process started.
I’m not exactly sure what triggered the story that played in my head like a movie. I just knew that I had to write it down. That was the day my first book, In The Shadow Of The Lighthouse was born, ten years ago. I didn’t know about writers groups, or critique groups, so I wrote and wrote some more. After a couple thousand words I began to worry if I was doing it right, so I bought books. Do you have any idea how many books have been written about how to write a book? That was overwhelming! But they all did have one piece of advice in common . . . just write the book and worry about the rest later.
I finally had my story done and happily sent out query letters to all the top agents. And they all came back with polite reasons why I didn’t fit with what they were looking for. But I continued writing the second book and one day stumbled on a notice from our local community college about a writer’s seminar. I not only attended but I found a critique group that met locally. That was five years ago and they have been my support, my strongest critics, and the force that keeps me moving forward.
As for the story, where did it come from? I’m not really sure. But my message was there from the beginning. And that is: You never give up. No matter what life throws at you, there’ s a way out. You pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move on.
October 31st is Olivia’s birthday. How appropriate that my character and my blog were born on the same day! Stay tuned for more of the process.