Who do you look up too? Who do you want to emulate? If you stood up in a conference and had to give a short summary of what you have done and who you are, what would you say? Are you comfortable with that?
What would I say? Well, I'm a wife, I'm a mother of two great daughters, I've had a crazy career path (another posting on that at another time), and now I'm working as a writer. I can remember working at McDonald's before college. Selling my mother's beautiful jewelry at craft fairs when I was in my teens. Starting an elder-care business more than 20 years ago- before people thought that the elderly should be able to stay in their own homes. Trying to put together work at Yale and kids' care all at once. The list goes on. Then the graduate degrees that sound like a salad- all mixed up.
My point is, not about me. We come to writing from a variety of view points. From many backgrounds and experiences. Why are we here? Tell me about your travel. What brought you to writing? What brought you to your genre? Why do we give up our pumps and pearls (sorry Lindsay) for sweatpants and slippers to live with our computers as now our best friends?
Well, I have my answer to this, but I'd love to hear yours. My answer-- it's all about my ability to create something. I make this happen. My characters talk to me in my sleep. They are living with me. As my children left for college and life beyond, I thought my house would be empty. Hardly the case. Now I have all these people who live in Italy move in. They tell me stories, they have espresso in wonderful cafes and they get into lots of trouble. You realize these are people who are of my creation--but they won't go away.
We live in a great world of make-believe. Tell me about yours.
9 comments:
Great post, Cassy. I love that so many of my friend have conversations with imaginary fiends.
Mine all either kill people or find the ones that do. I found my genre when I discovered a dead body in all my manuscripts.
I can't w to hear the responses to this blog.
Interesting and thought provoking post today Cassy.
Several deep questions. Who do I look up to? Anyone who's taller than me, which is hard since I'm 6 ft tall.
Why are we here? Philosophers have been discusing that question since the beginning of time. But why am I here. To write the best mysteries I can while slipping in clues, well sort of, to the actual bad guy(s).
Sorry but I'm not a jet-setter like you Cassy. I've been to Europe twice. Last time I hitchhiked but hope to return to England next year. My late wife and I went to the Caribbean several times.
As far as how I got into writing-been doing it for years but only in the past few have I taken my writing to the level of publication. I guess you could say I sort of murdered my way into mystery writing. I find it more fun to kill some poor innocent then have the H&H crawl into bed together. With the murderer I get to write how (s)he gets away with it. No comment about the bed scenes-we all know what happens there-babies.
Pumps and pearls-no but I did give up dress shirts and neckties to be a writer. Now I only wear them at conferences. I'll take sweats over nurse whites any day. Less complaining from the sick and dying. Now if they bug me, I just kill them off.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only crazy one around here. My characters not only talk to me in my sleep but sometimes when I'm awake.
That's all for now but you ladies know I'll probably be back.
Great one Cassy, thanks!
My characters are real people, they are not imaginary in my head... Well to me anyway.
I love to read, period! It almost doesn't matter what genre, from The master of Horror, Stephen King to the mistress of sweet, Debbie Macomber. Who do I look up to? Anyone who has worked their way through hardship and still succeeded. What do I write, what genre? Depends on what my characters tell me they want to do. And who's starring. If you know what I mean.
Isn't this fun? My daughter at about age 6 told me she might fire me, just like she her imaginary friend. I guess her friend wasn't living up to the possible, and nor was I. The good news, I didn't get fired from motherhood. But we live with our characters day and day out. I'd feel lost without them.
Isn't this fun? My daughter at about age 6 told me she might fire me, just like she her imaginary friend. I guess her friend wasn't living up to the possible, and nor was I. The good news, I didn't get fired from motherhood. But we live with our characters day and day out. I'd feel lost without them.
That's what I like about Kebi. He can't fire me
These are really great questions! If I give a summary of my working life, it doesn't really give a good sense of ME. I was an attorney, and a winery manager, amonst other things, but those were merely jobs that I was good at, or that paid well for my skills -- LOL.
I'm always thinking about writing, and my characters, and plotting things for them to experience. Writing really is the best job for me, so I can use all the skills and knowledge I've accumulated over the years. :)
Yep. I just wish that sometimes they wouldn't just up and go their own way. When I'm trying to shove them in a different direction.
LOL I write in so many genres, I guess they've ALL found me! But I only have two that are published (MG and cozy mysteries) but they both have paranormal elements so I guess that's where've I've landed.
And I love it!!!
Great post Cassy
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