Everybody has a book in them
I started writing years ago. My first children's Book, Journeys: The Adventure of Leaf was written so I could show my kids my interpretation of life and death. My 2nd book, Gemini Rising, The Crossing, was written after a pretty horrific nightmare and a bizarre experience. My husband and I saw a UFO while we were in Tahoe. It was round and hovered in the sky long enough that we got bored and went to bed and no, neither of had been drinking either. To this day we don't know what happened or why. That we saw it is a fact.
That no one else saw it is also a fact.
A Shadow of Time came after Gemini Rising, The Crossing. That story came to me while standing in the woods up near Jackson, California where an old Victorian had burned down. The only thing standing was the fireplace. Everything else was gone and the vines, grasses and willows had already take root.
Innocent Blood was the most difficult book I've written. It is about drugs and drug crime and the Mexican border, a topic which is not popular right now. Still, the novel speaks the truth. At least it is my truth.
Pursue your dream
Writing isn't easy. You will put pieces of your life out there for others to read about. The upside is you get to kill off your enemies and promote your friends.
If you have the urge to write, just do it. You don't have to get it right the first time. In addition, when you are given an opportunity to write do it. It doesn't matter if you have experience or not. Experience is something earned.
Managing your time
Time management is critical. Especially to someone like me who can be distracted if something more interesting comes along.
It is a struggle to take back the time you have lost. Facebook is a time-stealer and I am one of the worst offenders. I can get on that app and get lost for hours. I read updates, enjoy conversations and wear people out. I am a social animal, but with words, not in person.
Don't expect to make a fortune
If you are incredibly lucky you might make a million, but even those of us who have won awards or made the USA Today and/or NYT Best Sellers list make very little money.
Even being a journalist won't make you a fortune, well, unless you are a fake news artist. They can scam you and take you to places you should not go and they can even make you believe things that are not true.
So there's that.
Do it for love
I write because I love to write. It's like having a therapist in your hands. When I am writing it is very hard to distract me. I get lost in my stories and get angry when people disturb me. In my writing space, things are very quiet and peaceful. My characters talk to me, argue with me, and even turn out differently that I first imagine them. I like it there. And believe it or not, everyone gets a good ending.
Need more pointers?
Contact me any time.
