I started writing romances after my mother gave me a few Harlequins to read. Some of them were pretty good, but others were so bad, I would toss them into a corner where they stayed for months. I did eventually finish them, but it was agonizing. Like so many other authors, I figured I couldn't do any worse, so I began writing Thomi, or, A Favor For A Favor back in 1972. The Resurrection of Joleigh-Anna Kelmann came to life about ten years later as first a short story. Later, a writing instructor told me that it wanted to be a novel.
About that time, I met and married my hubby who had a small son from his first marriage. We enlarged our family with three more sons, and a few dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, parakeets and a three legged goat. Oh, and two horses.
Life experiences have a way of shaping or reshaping stories, I discovered. But the experience that likely changed it the most was losing the manuscript in one of our moves. I was sure I'd never be able to recreate that world! After the depression wore off a bit--which wasn't anytime soon, I can tell you--I talked myself into starting the story over. Finding a partial outline and the first three chapters in a forgotten folder helped get the writing flowing. Thomi's story turned out way differently than I had first intended. All in a good way!
Many of my characters are left-handed since I'm a proud lefty myself. IMHO, It's not a curse or a disability to be left-handed. It's just a different way of being; another spice in the spice rack of life!
Because Thomi kept getting rejected for the length of the story, even after I cut it significantly, I decided to self publish her. That way, I could do whatever I wanted to do in my stories. No formula nonsense!
I have spoken in classrooms and at workshops about writing in general, ePublishing and writing as a career. Discussing writing as a career was as much fun as going in to simply read to a class. The kids, in any situation I met them in, were always respectful, attentive and responsive.
Currently, I'm working on the third in my DreamWynd Whispers Romance Series which is tentatively entitled A Storm In My Heart. I have at least four more titles to include in the series. Thomi's sisters and brothers all want their love stories told as well!
When I have spare time, I enjoy family time, hiking, biking, DDR, and bowling. I no longer have horses, but when I can, I still love to ride!
I hope to ramp up my promo and marketing smarts here. They're about nil at this moment . . .
Welcome to the group. I too write fiction and if you'd like to exchange reviews, take a peep at my work on amazon to see if you'd be interested. If so, please contact me at valrbrownwriter@gmail.com.
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Hello Neenah,
Welcome to the group. I too write fiction and if you'd like to exchange reviews, take a peep at my work on amazon to see if you'd be interested. If so, please contact me at valrbrownwriter@gmail.com.
Best wishes, Val