I AM an Author!

Have you ever experienced foreshadowing in your life? I have.

Back in college, I discovered I was short a few credit hours. To walk with my graduating class, I needed to take some summer classes. Unfortunately, there weren't many upper-level undergrad classes available for my major, but there were plenty of graduate-level options.

One of them was a book publishing class.

The class walked us through the process--outlining, writing a synopsis, writing query letters--basically creating a sample submission packet and researching which publishing houses to send it to. Back then, I treated it for what it was: one of two classes I needed to graduate. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I would write a book, becoming an author.

Turns out, this class planted a seed that took years to grow.

Afterwards, I was in the throes of student teaching, planning a wedding, and navigating many new changes. I even struggled with the idea of changing my name to my husband's (Yes, I'm aging myself, but that was the tradition back in the 1990s). Yet, for some reason, I looked at my new husband and said,

"If I ever write a book, I'm using my maiden name."

Talk about foreshadowing.

My life continued. I taught English, theatre, and public speaking. Five years later, after job changes, moves, and a baby, the itch to write a book started. My first book idea?

How to Be a Great Mother-in-Law

Can you guess what inspired that?

Looking back, journaling might have been a better option. Or therapy.

Another five years passed. Military moves. Two more kids. Then I discovered blogging. A digital journey in whatever topic you want to discuss. I didn't do it to make money. I had no idea that was an option. I did it to document my life story of whatever front and center in my life. Don't get me wrong, I didn't share every detail of my life; I only took the struggles I was currently dealing with: parenting, finances, and relationships. I wrote to teach myself, and in turn, help others feel less alone.

Turns out I wasn't going to be an author; I was already an author.

All that writing, all those thoughts, teaching, learning, and sharing my experience. That was the beginning. A precursor to writing an actual book. It just took time, and a LOT of life, to get there.

Did I ever think my first published book would be fiction? Not in a million years. In fact, my college creative writing professor told me that I sucked at writing, but that is a whole other blog post.

So if you have the desire to write...WRITE.

Put your words on paper. Outline ideas in your head. Write the story in your head. Fiction or nonfiction.  On paper, online, or even a voice memo.

Because the truth is: you become an author the second you choose to share your words. Your story matters.