Taking It One Step at a Time

I first began writing in 1989 after my cousin, a famous romance author, handed me one of her novellas at a family reunion. After reading it, I thought to myself 'I can do this'. I had always had the desire to write stories, but never the incentive. Well, I should say the incentive was overshadowed by life. I was distracted from it, and without a nudge from somewhere, it was only in the deep recesses of my mind.

In 1989, I was a new mother, and my focus was on raising my boys, being a homemaker, and a wife. But in the quiet hours when the babies were asleep, or playing quietly in their room together, I would write in my three-ringed binder. 

Years later, I had my first book published, then two more though a print on demand company. It was not a bed of roses, but I learned to separate the hard knocks from the desire to write. I decided no matter if I never got published legitimately I would continue writing stories.

Eventually the hard work and perservance paid off. In August, Abingdon Press published Surrender the Wind. This month I was offered representation by Diana Flegal at Hartline Literary Agency.


Think of your writing career like stepping stones across a muddy path. Take one step at a time. Be patient as you make your way to dry land. If you lose your balance and slip into the mud, pull yourself up, shake the mire from off your feet, and move on. When you reach dry land (publication), there will be more required off you. So be prepared for hard work and deadlines. You'll be going uphill most of the time.