Writing and Me
I spent my early years on Johns Island, SC or in nearby Charleston. Even though my family left the coastal area when I was eight, I was left with a deep love of the ocean and all the life surrounding it. Nothing says home to me like the smell of salty air and magnolias.
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Ever since I discovered Robinson Crusoe at the age of four, I have been a voracious reader. By the time I was in high school. my girlfriend and I would sit in a local diner, writing on napkins, emulating the expats we studied in American Lit class. I was going to write the next great American novel and she would write deep and moving poetry.
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But as it will, life happened. I joined the Navy, became a mother and a nurse. I lived not only in South Carolina, but also Rhode Island, Virginia and Pennsylvania. There was a very brief period when I lived in California. So, I didn't return to writing for many years. Hey, now I smile to myself, thinking, "I'm living my teenage dream".
Why write?
I love doing it. I love telling stories. We learn about each other by telling our stories. Listening to others opens up entirely new worlds and brings us new levels of awareness and understanding.
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Once I began listening to myself and others, I found some stories nag at me until they get written. Maybe it's the siren song of the ocean or maybe it's an event that needs a fresh look.
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Callie, the main character in my Caines Island Series, seriously harasses me when I've away from my laptop too long. There are so many stories out there and I want to tell them all.
Writing & Community
I also enjoy bringing writing into my community. One way I do this, along with other members of Burlington Writers is to hold a Writers Cafe at Persnickety Books in downtown Burlington. We also host a Writers Cafe at the Graham Public Library.
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If someone is looking for encouragement or just a way to develop a schedule for writing, it's a great judgment free workspace--all levels of writing, from novice to expert, and genres welcome.
