My debut novel launches this October—words I dreamed of saying one day. I’ve been practicing saying them out loud lately, and they sound pretty good. This blog is for those who think it’s too late in life to write their first novel, for those who think they don’t have enough time to write their first novel, and for those who think that the many demanding priorities swirling around them overshadow the biggest dream they’ve ever had.
I can tell you that as a military spouse and one who made a career of serving military families and children for over 30 years, as a mother and a grandmother, and as an independent film producer—it was only at the busiest, most challenging intersection of all of these that I realized it was finally time to write my first novel, and I was going to do it my way. I was determined to take charge of its direction and its message. Maybe it was the driving, family entrepreneurial spirit in me—the one my father and all three of my brothers had. Maybe it was the Southern resiliency and pride I saw in my mother and grandmother. Maybe it was a desperate need to confront loss and fear. Or maybe it was the "lights on," surprising discovery of my inspiration. Whatever it was, I knew it had to be now, and it turned out to be the most joyful (and sometimes painful) and freeing experience I have ever had.
I hope you’ll join me as I share perspectives on my journey as an independent author (and filmmaker) and experience the launch of my first novel. I will write about what I've learned regarding the practical, business aspects of the process; I will talk about finding your personal sources of creativity and the inspiration that's at your fingertips; and I will focus on the military spouses and others who want to write but struggle to do so in an unpredictable, transient environment. Most of all, this blog is for those who think this is not the time to achieve their dream—because it is.