I’ve had aspirations of being an author since a very early age. Writing can be cathartic but it can also be fun. I’d see a scene or a story play out in my head and I’d write it down. I spent forty years writing four or five chapters only to read it, decide it was trash, and put it away for months, even years. Then, the writing bug would bite again so I’d give it another try just to have the same result. I became a wife and then a mother. Somewhere along that path, I lost who I was and what I, as a person, as an individual, wanted out of life. Of course I wanted a happy marriage and to be a good wife, whatever that looked like for us. I also wanted happy, healthy children and I’ve been fortunate to have that. Am I a perfect wife or mom? Far from it. Part of my problem was the loss of self. I couldn’t give them pieces of me that I didn’t have to give. My kids are older now and I have more time available to get back to myself. Finding my voice as an author, writing something I didn’t hate and running with it has been huge. At almost fifty years old, I’m finally figuring myself out. Hell, I even signed up to take a motorcycle rider course recently because it’s something I’ve wanted to do. All that to say, you’re never too old to go for it.
When I knew that I wanted to pursue this story that I didn’t hate, I didn’t know where to start. I happened to look in the front pages of an S.J. Tilly novel (if you haven’t read S.J. Tilly, I highly recommend you do…I’m fanning myself as I write that) and the credits led me to Brittni, The Romance Doctor. In our first meeting I found out something that completely altered the way I viewed my writing. I found out that I don’t need a designated work space filled with sticky notes and research. I just needed my imagination and some way to get those thoughts down. No joke, the first 30,000 words were written on the Pages app on my iPhone while I sat on my couch. Apparently there is an actual term in the industry for this writing style. It’s a pantser. I was a little put off by it, to be honest. I thought it made me sound like someone who goes around pulling people’s pants down for funsies. I don’t do that. But, I do write from the seat of my pants so I guess I get it. Either way, I’m going to lean in to this adventure and I hope you’ll join me on the path, wherever it leads us.
