A Writer’s Journey

As I sit at work, I can’t help but think about my life and where I am today. When I was younger, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I wasn’t compelled to join any particular career, although I did eventually wind up in security. I had two passions; ice hockey, which I played for 5 years, and writing.

One of the first stories I can remember writing was about The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I had them meet a group called The Teenage Mutant Ninja Cats. Not very original, but I had a blast. As I grew older, I started writing fan-fiction about the Canucks and falling in love with a teammate. Fanciful dreams, but what can I say. 😂

Fast forward to my mid-twenties, I started reading romance novels and thought, “Hey, I can do that,” and so I did, I wrote a story called “Her Lover’s Face.” It was my first full-length novel. I didn’t plan it. I just had a single ‘what if’ thought and ran with it.

After I wrote it, I thought I’d created a gem of a story and put it out there to be critiqued. The responses I got back hit me hard. They tore the story apart, and it left me heartbroken. I ended up putting the story away and stopped writing for a few months. Once I had the courage, I took a step back and reread the critiques and realized much of what they said had merit.

So I rewrote the story and incorporated what I had learned. Eventually, I had the opportunity to pitch to Kensington, and they requested my manuscript. Sadly, a short time later, I received the rejection letter, but he shared some feedback. This time, between raising a family(4 kids) and the rejection, I gave up writing. I didn’t have thick skin at the time, so I focused primarily on my young family.

In 2016, a decade later, my daughter found a writing/reading website, and I decided to check it out. It renewed my love of writing and made me yet again return to my manuscript. Third times a charm, right? This time I read it as a reader and was able to see all the things I still needed to change. So if you hear someone tell you to put the manuscript away for a bit before you start editing, I’d highly recommend listening. lol

I found the courage, after a lot of amazing feedback, to send it to another romance publisher and to my delight, he loved it. He published it in 2018. If you believe in your story, never give up. It will find a home. You just have to keep trying, keep learning. I don’t think the learning ever ends.

I’ve been writing ever since. I’ve written 6 novels, 2 novellas, poetry, and multiple short stories since 2016. 6 stories(2 novels, 1 novelette, 3 short stories) have been published, and 3 others are coming out this year. My hope is to keep on learning and growing my portfolio and hopefully help others find the courage to keep on writing, even when you don’t get the response you hope for.

And btw, not everyone will believe in your story, but every story has a niche, so don’t give up. I have thicker skin now, but that might just be because I’m a mom of teenagers. 🤔😂

I just want to say good luck to all of you that are following after your heart’s desire. Keep believing in your dreams. ♥️

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a great weekend!

Click here to check out my books on Amazon

You can find my latest short story(a drabble) up for pre-order on Amazon, which is featured in the anthology below, published by Eerie River Publishing.