I was raised in rural Alaska. Alone with my thoughts and the moose, daydreaming was a favorite pastime. As was reading.
I’ve always loved reading. I started out with Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Little House on the Prairie, The Hobbit, and The Chronicles of Narnia. I love just about every genre out there, but my all-time favorites are speculative fiction novels.
I met my husband Brad in college. My dreams of becoming a fashion designer dragged us to New York City for one year. After that, Brad’s dreams of directing movies dragged us to Los Angeles. We both worked really hard for people who weren’t very excited to help our careers grow.
A few years of torture passed.
Brad started volunteering with teens at our church in Burbank, California. We had our first son, Luke, moved to a house, I got out of the fashion industry (woo hoo!), and Brad became an ordained minister and full time youth pastor (double woo hoo!).
I learned that God is good. All the time.
I started writing a book. I wanted to write fun stories that were clean but real. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and it sure beat watching TV all day. I didn’t have a clue what I was getting into. All I knew was that it was totally fun. Until I tried to get published…
A few more years of torture passed.
It took me four years until I got my first book contract. Writing was something I never did when I was younger. Daydreaming and plotting, however, were familiar old friends. So now I write… everywhere. At home, in the car, at church (only notes, I promise!), in line at the grocery store, at the park, while walking, in the shower… (TMI?)
And I love it.
Creating characters and taking them on a journey is an amazing experience. I never knew how much I would come to love my characters until I met Spencer, Nauja, Martyr, and Achan. Writing is a whole lot of fun. Plus, I couldn’t get in trouble for forgetting to add a rosette onto a K-mart costsheet and causing the company a loss of $5,000. (True story…) And, I couldn’t get yelled at when the line of evening gowns I shipped via Fed Ex didn’t reach the showroom in New York in time for market to open. (Was it really my fault the plane got snowed in?)
No. I have no bitter memories of the fashion industry at all. (Can we say The Devil Wears Prada, anyone?)
But yes. Writing is something I adore. Writing is something I could do forever, if God allows it. (Please, God? Pretty please?)
May He do with me whatever pleases Him.