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Thursday, April 28, 2016

My Writing Life


My writing life began in grade school when I wrote stories and poems, and even started a novel when I was in fifth grade.  I called it “The Secret of the Old Pit” (can you see the influence of Nancy Drew?).  It was about two girls who climb down into a pit. Don’t ask me how they do it––I have no idea.  Once in the pit, however, they hear a voice saying, “Get out of here and never come back.”  They scramble out, but like true heroines, they resolve to find out who threatened them and why.

Unfortunately, I never finished the book, so you’ll have to come up with your own ending.  But it was the first of many stories, and as an a adult, I continued to write stories for and about children.  Why?  Maybe because I never forgot what it felt like to be a child or teenager, the fears as well as the fun. 

I cringe when people say to high school kids, “These are the best years of your life.”  Really?  Were they captain of the football team or cheering squad?  Or have they just forgotten the insecurities, the worry about being popular (or not), the uncertainties, the wondering about the future, and the highs, yes, but also the lows of first love?  Sure, high school had many good times––but not always.  I wanted to write stories where kids who feel scared, powerless, different, or uncertain are able to overcome whatever holds them back.

I began writing short stories, historical at first, about young people who did things they didn’t think they could.   At that time,we lived in Lexington, Massachusetts, surrounded by colonial and Revolutionary War history.  The town library sat on the Green where the first shot was fired, and the Minuteman statue greeted me every time I went to find a book, which was often.  I eventually teamed up with a dear friend, Marcie Anderson, and we put together a collection of short stories called Young Patriots: Inspiring Stories of the American Revolution.  Writing those stories was a joy for both of us.

My latest book, Pairs on Ice, is a contemporary middle grade novel, inspired by my years as a skating mom when my daughter skated.  The main character, Jamie Bartlett, 12, is at a crossroads in her life.  She switches from skating singles to skating pairs with Matt O’Connor, but there’s one problem––and it’s a big one.  They clash the minute they meet.  Not only that, but Jamie’s divorced father, whom she lives with, remarries, giving her a stepmother and six-year-old stepbrother.  Talk about wondering where you fit in!

More on Jamie and Matt later.  For now, if you’re a writer, when did you start writing?  And why do you write what you do?


“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”          --Toni Morrison
              

7 comments:

  1. I have always enjoyed writing. Perhaps I may be inspired by my granddaughter. She truly seems to thrive on books - whether they are read to her or she sits turning the pages and seeing the drawings. She already has favorites!

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    1. Isn't it fun to share your love of reading with your granddaughter? And what a gift you're giving her!
      You could write lots of things, including a book about quilting, not only how-to, but why you love it. I have a book called "Zen and the Art of Knitting: Exploring the Links Between Knitting, Spirituality, and Creativity" by Bernadette Murphy. You could write something like that about quilting.

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    2. Thanks for the idea. I may need to bounce more ideas off of you in the future!

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  2. The best thing we can do for our children is to start reading to them when they're small. Then encourage them to read. It's the most rewarding leisure activity I've experienced. It's relaxing, educational, and opens worlds we'd otherwise never know. Reading often leads to writing. I was a huge fan of Nancy Drew. My first story was written in high school for an English class. I was hooked. Now I read and write stories. Liz, how is the sequel to Pairs coming along. I look forward to reading it!

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    1. You've said it all about reading to children and how reading often leads to writing. All writers are readers! As for my sequel to Pairs on Ice, Pairs at Nationals is finished and I'm now making edits suggested by a great editor. I hope to talk to some agents and publishing editors at the SCBWI Mid-Year Regional Conference in Orlando in June.

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  3. My friends and I always asked for Nancy Drew books for birthdays and Christmas. We asked for different books. Then we shared them. Good luck selling your book at the SCBWI conference. Maybe, we can both sell a book.

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  4. We used to buy each other Nancy Drew books for birthday party gifts. Then the book would make the rounds of all the girls. And yes, good luck to both of us at the conference.

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