I Am Not an Intimidating Person

When I attend local author events I usually have a handout with me showing the covers of all my books. I get incredulous looks from people and the often heard, "You've written all these books?"

Um-yes. I've written them and self published them...in 24 months I've published 24 books, plus one young reader book, so actually 25 books in 24 months. And I have three additional novels nearly ready to be put out there in Book World.

I didn't write them all yesterday. I didn't write them all last year, or the year before. This is only a small part of a lifetime accumulation of written material that I have finally gotten off my butt and started doing something with. I've been writing for decades. I've only been self publishing for two years. That's what gives this a somewhat surreal aspect to people just discovering me. I am probably intimidating to them because ordinary people don't write much at all and cannot begin to fathom a human being writing so much (oh! If they only walked into my house and saw how much more there is to deal with! It's overwhelming to me, never mind to anyone else!)

I'm not an intimidating person. I am a highly productive person. A prolific writer since day one.

I am a very private person, almost reclusive, but I've stepped out from behind the rock of obscurity a few paces, especially in the past 14 months. I'm just a regular person who happens to write- a lot.
I have a crazy sense of humor, a dark side, a sentimental side. I'm a quiet person, but easily approachable. I like to listen to people's stories, hear them talk. I don't say much myself, but I am a good listener. I remember a lot. I sometimes write something from real life into a story or novel- it's a little game I've played with Kelly since I first started writing for her when she was 3 years old- find the thing from real life in the story. A few times I've written real people from my life into stories and novels (fictionalizing them, but they're still recognizable) I don't think anyone who has appeared in .the pages of one of my stories has ever not liked themselves- I'm not a mean or vindictive person. I like to have fun with my writing. I'm a serious writer/author, but I don't take myself all that seriously as a person. I don't have much in the way of an ego. I like to beta read for other local authors. I have no problem with an author emailing me a story out of the blue with a 'please read this and let me know what you think' attached. I'm happy to do it. I firmly believe that while writing is a solitary pursuit, preparing for publication should not be something one does without support. That's where other people who write and read come in handy. Feedback, gentle critique and guidance, ideas and suggestions...they should be welcomed and embraced by writers and authors because how else can you grown, learn, and improve. Every writer/author should have a network of trusted like-minded friends/acquaintances willing to be of assistance. In every profession there are colleagues and mentors- it should be no different for writers.

I've beta read for four local authors so far and have been honored to do so. Not everyone is fortunate enough to live with another writer for daily feedback, advice, critiques, etc. I happen to have a 25-year old daughter who has been writing since first grade when she wrote a story that floored her teacher- Harold, The Shoe. We mentor and support one another, writing at the kitchen table seated across from one another, reading each other's stories, proofreading and editing one another's work. Not every writer has a live-in support group.

In a nutshell- I have been writing since childhood. I've been an editor of a college literary magazine and contributing writer. I was first published in the real world in 1994, a children's story I'd written for Kelly (Monsters No More), then a personal memoir in a local literary/arts newspaper that no longer exists (Snow Dance), and in a magazine in the UK (Teddy Bear Review). There was also a real life story about our cat Marty who left our house shortly after we'd adopted him from my parent's yard downtown, who walked the 8 miles back to their house from one side of town to the other, even crossing a river to do so, in 6 days time-the story was published in an anthology of cat stories in the late 90's (More Uncommon Cats by Jim Guerin). I was editor of and a contributing writer for the Massachusetts State Button Society Bulletin (an annual 42-page magazine I put out with a little help from Kelly, but mostly singlehandedly) for 10 years. I've self published 25 books. That about sums up my experience as a writer/author.

So, you see- I'm just an ordinary person who enjoys her hobby/other job, one who strongly believes in supporting others who write and dare to pursue their dreams to be published authors. Writers are always welcome to come and sit at my kitchen table...and I want everyone to feel that same sense of welcome when they join WhipCity Wordsmiths. (Maybe I should have called it My Kitchen Table Writer's Group!