The Origins Blogfest

Yeah, yeah, I know, I’m such a party girl, but I couldn’t resist this particular blogfest.  Co-hosted by DL Hammons, Creepy Query Girl KatieMills, Alex J. Cavanaugh and Matthew MacNish, the Origins Blogfest is the perfect place to share how my writing dreams began.

Unlike so many of the talented writers I’ve met here in the blogosphere, my writing dream is a fairly new concept.  I’ve always loved to write, but I never once thought about making it a career or pursuing publication.  For me, it was more about helping my son in school and not appearing the idiot when I emailed friends and family. 

I’ve always loved to read, but I’ve never read something and thought, gee, I could do that.  Well, maybe after reading Twilight, but that’s another post altogether.  Anyway, my journey began rather abruptly. 

In March of 2010, I downloaded a new CD onto my iPod.  It was 30 Seconds to Mars’ This Is War CD.  On it was a song called Hurricane.  It was a breathtakingly clear and warm day here in Seattle—in other words, a minor miracle—and I decided to take my little convertible out for a spin around Lake Sammamish, ‘cause, you know, when the sun comes out, the top goes down. 

(Mine is dark blue!)

So there I am, driving with the sun in my face and my tunes blaring when this new song starts playing.  The tune really struck me, but it was the lyrics that hit me hardest.  They said:

Tell me would you kill to save a life

Tell me would you kill to prove you’re right…

Do you really want me dead or alive

To torture for my sins

It made me wonder:  What could make a man do something really bad, something completely against his nature, and could he ever find redemption, find his way back to the man he once was?  That was a pretty powerful concept for me, and, after having yet another recurring nightmare of something terrible that had once happened to me, I decided I would try to make sense of it all and answer my own question.  Hence, THE MISTAKEN was born.  Or the idea of it anyway. 

The strangest part of writing this novel is that it came to me whole, like all in one moment.  I just had to write it all down in an outline first, then type it all up.  And as I was doing all this, it was like there was someone or something possessing me, or at the very least, standing over my shoulder, whispering into my ear, telling me exactly what to write. 

I simply cannot explain it in any other way.  I mean, surely it wasn’t me.  I’ve never written much of anything.  I have no training, no idea what components go into writing a novel or creating a cohesive plot.  Yet there was, a real story, and a compelling one at that.  And it was a fast read, too, lots of action, lots of emotion, everything I like in a book. 

Now, it was so far from perfect as to be laughable, but, over time, and with the help of many, many talented critique partners, most notably Lisa L. Regan, Tara Rendall, and Jeff O’Handley, The Mistaken took on a polished gleam worthy of querying, and, I hope, even publication.  Someday.  Fingers crossed. 

So now I’ve found a new passion in writing, in creating characters and plot.  I’ve learned a great deal in the last 22 months, and I plan on putting that all to good use.  Yep, that’s right, I just started writing my second novel, tentatively title Parasite. 

Writing has changed my life in so many fantastic and unexpected ways.  It’s given me a new purpose, a dream of my very own.  And it’s brought people into my life, wonderful, talented, loving people whom I now call my friends.  That alone is worth more that gold.

So what’s your story?  How did your writing dreams begin? 

Oh, and by the way, I just won a SECOND round entry in Cupid's Literary Connection Blind Speed Dating Contest.  My entry here went up today and judging will go through Wednesday.  Feel free to comment!  I'd love to hear what you think.  Fingers crossed I make it to round 3!