Thanks and back to the beginning

Hey to all who have joined me in my trek into the great big blogging and literary world. My thanks as well.

I need now to channel my random thoughts and form them into words that, hopefully, will hold your attention. A friend mentioned that I should write about the whole process of being published (I still can't say that without mentally jumping up and down and doing little restrained happy-dances) and everything else that comes with that. I suppose, that's a good enough start - and speaking of which, I would need to start at the very beginning.

Writing is something that I've always done - but never seriously thought about doing. It's like a very personal journey into yourself - and something very close to public exposure. Think running around naked in the middle of a crowded room and everyone seeing what you had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - and that dessert you had two days ago. I never could get past the idea that if someone else read my work, they'd be walking around in my head rootling around and running amok in it. I'm not talking the mandatory works of literary masterpieces that you had to show your teacher...I'm talking those personal, brilliant sparks of light called walking into another world.

So, my random, half-hearted attempts at public nudity lasted for the better part of twenty-something odd years. And as each year passed and each new book was read, I kept thinking that I could do it too. And trust me, there were some books I read, not mentioning names, bored me to death and made me wonder how on earth it ever got published. So last year, when my desire to become an exhibitionist became so great, and to the blunt encouragement of another friend, i dived in and started writing. And writing...

Three months later, I had my first rough manuscript and I felt positively jubilant! All my half-assed attempts seemed to mould together to form into this one story. As I finished the last words in the last chapter, something repeatedly told me that I needed to continue...it needed a part two...and a three. In my mind, part two was already forming and the shadows of part three was coming together. The words trilogy kept nagging me. Before I could re-read what I had done, part two was already being birthed. I felt positively inspired! But I had to rein myself in and concentrate on getting part one ready for reading. My first draft was done a week later, printed off and presented to my husband for reading. He simply tossed it aside and said, "Yeah, okay."

I gaped in insulted horror as my manuscript plopped onto the chair with piles of clothes. But I was not deterred... My husband falls into the category of 'needs-book-to-fall-asleep' and I knew my book was not for the droopy-eyed.

It would be read!