This summer, for my book giveaway contest, I’ve opened the floor to my readers to “Ask an Author Anything!*” (That * is a “Keep it-G-rated” disclaimer!)
This question comes from Jane S:
How did you decide that writing was what you wanted to do? How did you finally start? Did you take courses or learn on your own? Was it hard home schooling your children?
You know, I think writing is something that came from the inside. I love stories, and I also love words. I was one of those kids who lost herself in books (I still do!). I remember the librarian shooing me out at closing hours, and sometimes I’d just plunk right down in the aisle, sit and read for hours. I’m a book addict!
However, I never gave being an author a serious thought until I was in Russia. I had already had four kids, and was working with my husband as a missionary. He was gone a lot, and I had read every book in the house 3-4 times, and thought…hey, I’ll write my own!
I liked letting my imagination out to plat and it started a passion for me. I began to devour every book I could on writing, and writing stories that apparently had been incubating in my heart for years. I wrote four books within three years, although I didn’t submit any of them (due to the whole, I-was-in-Siberia thing!). Mostly, what I did was read the books of my favorite authors, and then dissect WHY I loved them. And then I wrote, a lot, and dissected that writing to discover how to get better.
As for homeschooling — I gave my children my best hours, from 9-3, and then from 3-6 I went to my room and wrote. The secret: by that time, my kids were SICK of me! And I’m a believer of mutual respect – I respected their time, and asked them to respect mine. And that’s what they did. I made a point to include them in celebrations, like finishing a book, or even a chapter. We still have rootbeer floats when I finish a book! Most of all, I asked God to redeem my time – if I was thinking of a storyline or some exceptionally good dialogue right in the middle of math, I jotted down memory triggers, and asked God to help me remember it later! (and he did. *g*)
Thank you, Jane, for asking! And if YOU want to enter the contest, check it out HERE.