I was born and raised in sunny Florida along the Tampa Bay. Since I was young, I always knew there was something different about me. I was the girl who, at recess, would sneak a book outside and read under a tree instead of run around with the other kids. I would hide folded pieces of paper with story ideas on them as if they were notes with juicy gossip.
When I was old enough to know that I could create stories like the ones I read, the well of ideas never ran dry. My first attempt at a story was called Chillers. I was nine years old and into Goosebumps by R.L. Stein. Needless to say, that entire project was a glorified plagiarism of the famous series, but at the tender age of ten, I finally felt like I had a purpose in life.
No matter who came into my life or what interests I had, one thing always stayed the same: my love for the words spilled on the page. I devoured books and tentatively scribbled ideas of my own. My passion grew. By time I graduated high school, I was involved in several online writing communities and had written upwards of ten incomplete first drafts.
In college, I learned the craft of writing. My ideas were more refined, and my confidence grew. I graduated college with a BA in English Literature, a BS in Psychology, and more than 20 first drafts. I decided that I needed a change in pace, so I quit my Barnes and Noble job to move across the country to the Pacific Northwest where I didn't know anybody or anything.
Three years and one toddler later, I'm revisiting those first drafts. I'm continuously learning about the art of fiction, and I read and reread my favorite authors to learn their strengths and how I can improve my own writing. I've dabbled in many areas of fiction: historical (characters were cardboard), YA (teenagers acted like children), mystery (not very mysterious), and horror (horrific in all the wrong ways), but I found myself hovering more and more in literary fiction. I'm currently working on finishing that first first-draft with the support from my writing friends both near and far.
My love of writing extended out of the fiction realm, and I also write for websites, blogs, and magazines. I found my niches in parenting woes, psychology and addiction, books and reading, and new-age-feel-good spirituality. Occasionally, I'll find myself writing a politically-charged piece. I use both my experiences and my passion for research to bring the best article to the table. My education and growth never ceases, and I am currently a student in Jon Morrow's Guest Blogging Program to help me to refine my process.
When I'm not writing, I can be found hiking the Cascades, playing at the park with my son, star gazing, or people watching around town. (But usually, I'm just reading under a blanket somewhere.)
If you're interested in parenting advice, crafts, and laughs, come visit me at my parenting blog! (Wine not included.)
When I was old enough to know that I could create stories like the ones I read, the well of ideas never ran dry. My first attempt at a story was called Chillers. I was nine years old and into Goosebumps by R.L. Stein. Needless to say, that entire project was a glorified plagiarism of the famous series, but at the tender age of ten, I finally felt like I had a purpose in life.
No matter who came into my life or what interests I had, one thing always stayed the same: my love for the words spilled on the page. I devoured books and tentatively scribbled ideas of my own. My passion grew. By time I graduated high school, I was involved in several online writing communities and had written upwards of ten incomplete first drafts.
In college, I learned the craft of writing. My ideas were more refined, and my confidence grew. I graduated college with a BA in English Literature, a BS in Psychology, and more than 20 first drafts. I decided that I needed a change in pace, so I quit my Barnes and Noble job to move across the country to the Pacific Northwest where I didn't know anybody or anything.
Three years and one toddler later, I'm revisiting those first drafts. I'm continuously learning about the art of fiction, and I read and reread my favorite authors to learn their strengths and how I can improve my own writing. I've dabbled in many areas of fiction: historical (characters were cardboard), YA (teenagers acted like children), mystery (not very mysterious), and horror (horrific in all the wrong ways), but I found myself hovering more and more in literary fiction. I'm currently working on finishing that first first-draft with the support from my writing friends both near and far.
My love of writing extended out of the fiction realm, and I also write for websites, blogs, and magazines. I found my niches in parenting woes, psychology and addiction, books and reading, and new-age-feel-good spirituality. Occasionally, I'll find myself writing a politically-charged piece. I use both my experiences and my passion for research to bring the best article to the table. My education and growth never ceases, and I am currently a student in Jon Morrow's Guest Blogging Program to help me to refine my process.
When I'm not writing, I can be found hiking the Cascades, playing at the park with my son, star gazing, or people watching around town. (But usually, I'm just reading under a blanket somewhere.)
If you're interested in parenting advice, crafts, and laughs, come visit me at my parenting blog! (Wine not included.)