Reflecting On My Own Reasons For Writing....And An Admission

As I dedicate more and more of my time to writing, I have begun to think about my reasons for wanting to become an author. And it all comes back to my lifelong love of reading. Since I was a small child, I have enjoyed reading as my absolute favorite "hobby." Reading transports me to other dimensions and gives me a much-needed break from reality precisely at the time I need that break (which is usually at about 8:00 PM after a full workday and then getting an energetic toddler ready for bed).

Growing up, I endured a lot of physical pain from having juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. I did not get to spend as much time "burning" my energy in the ways other kids did - running, jumping, playing vigorously, etc. The illness also isolated me at times from activities my friends were participating in that were just not a good option for me.

But when I cracked open a book, none of that mattered. I could fully immerse myself in the characters' worlds and live vicariously through them as they ran through fields, climbed mountains and even traveled through space. Even as a 40-year-old woman, a trip to the library or the bookstore is filled with excitement and anticipation. I always tell Adam that I'm so glad he goes with me on these trips, because I always come home with far more than what my petite arms could carry alone.

In the past few years, I've realized that I have stories to tell that may give my readers their own much-needed breaks from reality. As I work on my projects, I am naturally gravitating toward the genres I enjoy the most: sci-fi, psychological thrillers, horror, and even some fantasy. My first novel will blur the lines between those genres and generously offer a helping of each.

And that leads me to what I have chosen to be reading lately. Let me first say, that I have never been the type to care what "critics" say about books, movies, or any other form of art. I evaluate a body of work based upon how much I enjoy it - not for "literary" value or any other reason. Does the storyline grip me? Do I want to keep reading it? And in the best case scenario, am I losing sleep because I just cannot put it down?

So if it surprises anyone that I just finished reading the Twilight series and that I LOVED it, then perhaps you don't know me very well. Of course, you do probably know how much I love the vampire mythology and novels, but I do tend to gravitate toward the darker stuff such as the works of Anne Rice and Poppy Brite. But what could be better than a storyline that is timeless - forbidden love? The series transported me back to my own high school days and those schoolgirl longings to find a love that was irrational, that would upset my parents, and one that was utterly beyond my control and comprehension. Who cares if the writing was "simplistic?" It was written for tweens and teens! And I make no apologizes for enjoying a fantastic storyline.

Maybe one day my novels will offer women (and men) the same outlet where they would rather lose sleep than put down a book.