The big adventure of writing

I grew up in the PNW - you may know it as the Pacific Northwest.

I now hail from Arizona. Yes, the desert.

People often ask me about the change from wet, lush, green to … well … the hot, dry desert. My answer: I love them both.

While I can no longer take a cold winter, I can enjoy a PNW summer. And a winter night in the desert with clear starry skies and a chill on a breeze is beautiful. 

Certainly, the places we live shape us. Just like the people we know sculpt us - with a whittle here and a chisel there - we emerge, ever-changing.

What a privilege. 

To live in an age when one can sit down at a computer, drawing on the nuances of places, people, and time to create characters who are familiar in some way. Great or small - it doesn't matter. As writers, we sort of know them - even before they are fully formed. The good guys and the ones who didn't quite make the 'nice' list.

The big adventure of writing is that it can be gloriously big with characters we want to see soar, breaking out of hardships and circumstances we cannot fathom. But it can also be small. A still small voice perhaps, that says ... what if?

Because, what if the world is too cynical and a star really can do cartwheels?*  

Maybe I've even seen it. In my mind's eye.  

So that's where the ideas come to rest. In my noggin. But only momentarily, because they are needed elsewhere. In Short Stories and Novels and Children's books. And my need to put them there is the reason I write. And what a wondrous adventure it is.

 *See: The Biggest Star under Children's Stories

This was taken while at dinner with my family in Taipei City, Taiwan. I adore Asian Countries - the culture and the people - and can't wait to go back and visit again!

1. What is the purpose of this website? This site exists for agents, publishers, and readers to access content. My hope is that the big adventure of writing will cultivate an adventure of reading; and eventually, there will be interest that leads to agent representation. 

2. Where do your quotes come from? Many of the quotes are from my writings over the years. However, if the author of a quote is known, I indicate so. 

3. What is your genre? For novels, mostly new adult, contemporary. I like to add suspense and humor in most cases. The majority of my short stories are true events. 

4. What about the children's books? 

I have an abundance of Children's Stories for ages 3-5 and 5-8. However, my full vision for the stories cannot be contained in a website. I need art! If you are an artist wishing to collaborate on children's books - please e-mail me a sample of your work. (See Contact page)