My writing journey started with reading. I grew up in a home where my mother modeled the love of reading.

In elementary school, my teachers read to the class after lunch recess. (A perfect way to calm down a rowdy group after a lively game of volley ball). I looked forward to this time of day, as they read to us about children in other countries, cultures, and time periods. My understanding of the power of the written word to transport and inspire began in those classrooms decades ago.

It shouldn’t surprise you, then, to hear that I grew up to be a teacher and that one of the favorite parts of my day was reading to my own class after lunch. As I looked out at a sea of young faces , I could tell which ones were also caught up in the story and equally disappointed when we rejoined the present world and turned toward our math lesson.

When my own children were small, I didn’t have a lot of time for writing, so I wrote short stories, poems, or skits—just enough to satisfy my yearning to create. But, I definitely wanted more.

Once I retired, and decided to write in earnest, I found that writing fiction fulfills that inner longing to bring to life characters that others can enjoy. By the power of the written word, they live, breathe, and have a voice. 

And, yes, like most writers, I harbor that secret hope that some day they will live for all to see—on the big screen!

Please write and share how you started your writing journey.