My Writing Journey
In my early childhood, I knew I wanted to be a writer. I read voraciously and penned stories, but never shared them with others. When I was entering high school, my guidance counselor set forth a mandate that was hard to shake for many years: “You’ll never be a writer.”
Luckily, my soul’s voice was much louder than his, and I began to write. Initially, I wrote personal essays, and one submission led me to a long-term gig, writing personality profiles for a community newspaper. Since I lived in Upstate New York, not too far from New York City or the Berkshires in Massachusetts, I was able to capture the stories of many artists, writers, and musicians.
One rainy Sunday afternoon, I sipped tea with Kermit Love, the creator of Sesame Street’s Snuffleupagus and Oscar the Grouch. Another time, I sat in the storeroom of one of The Body Shop stores, interviewing the Founder Anita Roddick. Soon after, I met New Age music pioneer, Stephen Halpern and later penned a story about his music journey.
Over time and with many other publications, my responsibilities grew from freelance writer to contributing editor to managing editor. Then the world of book publishing opened up to me, and I began working with a number of publishing houses, including the For Dummies publisher and Masters Press in Indianapolis.
My work has been celebrated by my colleagues, and I’ve received several awards for my non-fiction writing and my poetry, including:
- Gallery ‘05 Student Literary Arts Journal, Second place for my poem, “So This is the Arroyo.”
- Valley Byliner’s Contest, First place, nonfiction, “Black Drum Speaks.”
- Society of Professional Journalists Best in Indiana Journalism, Second place for profile on Margot Adler.
- Combined Health Appeal Award, Coverage of health topics, The Bristol Press.
As my portfolio grew, so did the number of people who knew about my work. I often heard the remark, “I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but never knew how to begin.”
That’s when I began coaching private clients in crafting their stories.
As my portfolio grew, so did the number of people who knew about my work. I often heard the remark, “I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but never knew how to begin.” I listened to the cures the universe offered me and embraced my role as The Literary Midwife. I’ve been blessed to work with a number of aspiring authors, guiding them through the writing and publishing process, crafting messages that they know have to be told, building their author platform, and exploring many avenues to market their books.
After I completed my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from the University of Texas Pan American (now Rio Grande Valley), I was hired to teach in UTPA’s First-Year Writing Program. For over a decade, I’ve been a faculty member at National University, Pikes Peak Community College, and Southern New Hampshire University, teaching first-year composition, literature, Theatre Arts, and marketing for aspiring writers.
