My virtual book tour will start in a week, so I have been doing some front work for it, answering all sorts of questions. One is “when did I start writing?”
I don’t ever remember not writing. When I was just a little kid I would write stories on the leftover typing paper around the house—when I wasn’t making cigarettes with the paper (I got caught early on lighting one so it was back to story writing). All during junior high and high school I wrote poetry and other miscellaneous stories, and then in college I worked for a nearby newspaper and college newspaper as well at the university public relations office.
As a journalism major, I preferred writing feature and human interest stories, and I remember one of my very liberal journalism professors telling me I didn’t have what it takes to be a journalist writing hard news. I looked him in the eye and told him “I didn’t want to have what it takes to cover hard news. I hate politics, car wrecks, and murder, besides I want to be proud of everything I write.” I haven’t veered from that stance.
I’m proud of writing Keeping Faith and Promises Kept, but more than that I am proud of hanging in there until I had the finished product. A lot of people have told me they want to write a book and have great ideas. I believe them. I say, just do it. It’s not just about talent; it’s about persistence, stamina, and the will to finish. It’s a manuscript in progress; it’s only a book when you finish.