Origins - My Story

I was a third-grader when I decided I wanted to become a writer. We lived in Fredericksburg, VA at the time. The community was very connected to George Washington whose mother's home was located there next to Kenmore. I was fascinated by all the stories about Washington's childhood, especially the one about him cutting down a cherry tree. He later told his father, "I cannot tell a lie, I cut down the tree." When our class got an assignment to create a poem, I decided to write about Washington and the cherry tree story. I was selected to read my poem at an assembly for the entire school which made quite an impression on me. I liked the attention and decided then and there that I would become a writer.

When I got to eighth grade, I wrote in my journal that I planned to become a journalist and go to Washington University in St. Louis. Of course, that didn't fit my parents plans and I had to attend a state college instead. I never got to take even one course in journalism, but I fell into a journalism job quite by accident. An editor saw a letter I wrote to our school board, contacted me, and I landed a freelance writing job. More freelance followed, and I never looked back.

Eventually, I got the urge to try my hand at fiction. Seven published novels resulted, and I'm working on my eighth right now. But it all began in third grade...

Thanks to the hosts of the Origins blogfest - DL Hammons, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and Creepy Query Girl Katie Mills.  I'll head out to read as many posts as I can. Interesting topic!!!