I started writing my first book at the
age of nine. I got as far as the end of chapter one. As I recall, the
chapter was all of two handwritten pages long. My mother (of course)
thought it was wonderful and kept it for years. She probably still has
it.
As the years passed, I kept writing. Entries in my diary, some (terrible) poetry, a longish fairy tale, and some short stories made it out of my head and onto paper by the time I graduated from high school. I really wanted to get married right out of high school (school was not my favourite thing), but no one wanted to marry me. So I went to UCLA and majored in English with a minor in creative writing. More short stories came from that, but no husband. Stalling for time, I went to Cal State Northridge for graduate school (in English, naturally--I can't do anything else). While there, I mananged to write a chapter for a textbook. This would have been nice to add to my writing credentials, except that it was a chapter on how to run a personnel office at a community college--a subject that inspires no confidence in editors and literary agents as to my abilities to write fiction.
Having gained an M.A., I settled down to teach English in a small Christian college. I got to teach literature, research and writing (the Freshman Comp. variety), and was so busy that I had no time to write anything but journal entries where I lamented my single state and hoped that I wouldn't have to teach forever. At last I was set up on a blind date with an Irish seminary student who proposed after three months (and three dates!) and I got to give up my career and be a full-time homemaker. Loved it.
We moved overseas, and along with caring for the children God sent our way, I started to write again. This time, I managed to write things that were longer than short stories! An adult novel, a children's novel, and a devotional book for homeschooling moms have been produced in the last few years.
Of course, now I have less time for writing than ever before. In addition to trying to be a good homemaker, I homeschool our children (there are four so far with another one on the way), and am very involved with church ministry. So writing gets done at night after the children go to sleep. If there's nothing else I have to do. Which is probably twice a week.
Now you know why this story is taking me so long.
As the years passed, I kept writing. Entries in my diary, some (terrible) poetry, a longish fairy tale, and some short stories made it out of my head and onto paper by the time I graduated from high school. I really wanted to get married right out of high school (school was not my favourite thing), but no one wanted to marry me. So I went to UCLA and majored in English with a minor in creative writing. More short stories came from that, but no husband. Stalling for time, I went to Cal State Northridge for graduate school (in English, naturally--I can't do anything else). While there, I mananged to write a chapter for a textbook. This would have been nice to add to my writing credentials, except that it was a chapter on how to run a personnel office at a community college--a subject that inspires no confidence in editors and literary agents as to my abilities to write fiction.
Having gained an M.A., I settled down to teach English in a small Christian college. I got to teach literature, research and writing (the Freshman Comp. variety), and was so busy that I had no time to write anything but journal entries where I lamented my single state and hoped that I wouldn't have to teach forever. At last I was set up on a blind date with an Irish seminary student who proposed after three months (and three dates!) and I got to give up my career and be a full-time homemaker. Loved it.
We moved overseas, and along with caring for the children God sent our way, I started to write again. This time, I managed to write things that were longer than short stories! An adult novel, a children's novel, and a devotional book for homeschooling moms have been produced in the last few years.
Of course, now I have less time for writing than ever before. In addition to trying to be a good homemaker, I homeschool our children (there are four so far with another one on the way), and am very involved with church ministry. So writing gets done at night after the children go to sleep. If there's nothing else I have to do. Which is probably twice a week.
Now you know why this story is taking me so long.
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