I think about where I am in my life today and wonder: HOW DID I GET HERE SO FAST? Where has the time gone?
I've done things I planned to do as I grew up. I became a teacher, married, and now have a family that includes grandsons. Being an author was a second career I only thought about after age 40. When all 4 of my kids were teenagers for three solid years in a row, I needed something, an outlet, just for me and to retain my sanity.
I had always been an avid reader, from biographies to Shakespeare (took 4 or 5 Shakespeare courses in college) to romance. Once hooked on reading romances, I devoured as many as I could each week.
As my kids' teenage years were about to drive me nuts, I thought about writing. I'd read so many romance books. Surely I could try writing one!
M first attempt garnered some interest in three agents. Although hopeful, I kept thinking that nothing would happen - I hadn't "paid my dues" yet. And, I was right. I learned from my first venture into romance writing that one element was sorely missing in my masterpiece.
Dialogue. Most of my book contained narrative and little dialogue. How had I missed that concept after reading so many romance books?
It took 10 years to finally "get it right" and get published. I joined groups, listened, learned. And took a major bit of advice from a wonderful author, Carla Cassidy. She told me that I was writing episodes, not connecting chapters.
After her sage advice and changes in my thinking/writing, I sold my first book.
Damn. If I could only go backwards in age and take this advice...and start my writing career earlier...who knows how many books I would have published by now?
Anyway, I'm a year older and will celebrate with a dinner out tonight.
Wish me a Happy Birthday in a comment and you could win one of our April Romance Books '4' Us contest prizes.
PLUS:
I'm giving away a $10.00 Amazon gift card to one person who leaves a comment for me by midnight 15 April.
NOTE: PLEASE put your email address in with your comment!
Marianne Stephens
http://www.mariannestephens.net
http://www.romancebooks4us.com
photo: flickr: Nick Kenrick's photostream
Happy Birthday! Age is simply a number not what's in our hearts! :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Marianne! The art of writing keeps changing. Several years back I learned about deep POV and adjusted (yeah, the writing is soooo much better). I thought I was the only one who hadn't figured out deep POV on my own. But then I reread books I absolutely loved (from only a few years ago) and they were HUGE bestsellers, and the authors had made the same mistakes I had in keeping readers at a distance. We all keep learning.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteskpetal at hotmail dot com
Happy Birthday, Marianne! Have a wonderful birthday. There may be another wrinkle but you look gorgeous. 😍😍🍰🥂
ReplyDeleteMrs. N
Happy Birthday Marianne! Have a wonderful day and enjoy your night out. I agree with you...how did we get so old so fast? And I always say: If I knew then what I know now, I'd be a totally different person!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Marianne! I hope you have a great day and many more. silvershewolf9@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteBirthdays are always special, and I hope yours is unusually so....and that you enjoy many more! Jean Stewart
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Marianne. Enjoy your special day, and best wishes for the year ahead. :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Marianne. Thinking of you always. There's a woman a 100 years old running for city council somewhere in this country (can't remember where), but I bet she sets these young kids straight. lol
ReplyDeleteMarianne, I hope you got the e-birthday card I sent you. I couldn't find your local address for some reason.
Love and hugs,
Sandy (skm.rjm.home@gmail.com
Happy Birthday! I know exactly what your saying. I turned 56 yesterday and I said to myself, when did I get this age. Only yesterday I was 26. Have a blessed birthday.
ReplyDeleteTcwgrlup41(at)yahoo.com
Happy Birthday, Marianne. There are a few advantages of living after 50!
ReplyDelete● Kidnappers are not very interested in you, and in a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.
● No one expects you to run--anywhere.
● You can live without sex but not your glasses.
● Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.
● Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size.
● You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room.
● People call at 9 pm and ask,"Did I wake you?"
● There is nothing left to learn the hard way.
● Things you buy now won't wear out.
All The best. Have a great birthday. Ann
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Marianne
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling of 'where has the time gone.' Some days I feel like I'm still in my 20s - others I feel about 100 - but I can't believe I'm really the age I actually am! :)
I wish you a beautiful day and a year ahead filled with more joy and blessings than you can imagine.
ReplyDeletePatty
pattymac07@aol.com
"Happy Birthday"
ReplyDeleteMay all your birthday wishes come true.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I enjoyed your post, especially your journey to becoming a published author.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Marianne.
Beverley
babateman@shaw.ca
Happy birthday, Marianne!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a VERY happy, wonderful, and blessed birthday, Marianne!
ReplyDeleteI think we'd all like to go back in time and start our writing careers earlier, ha ha!
Happy Birthday! Hope you had fun!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! Hope you had a fun one!
ReplyDeleteHope you had a wonderful birthday. I wrote on your FB!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Marianne! I, too, started writing later in life. I was an incessant reader. When I discovered Dick Francis mysteries, Handsome asked why I liked them. I blurted out, "I wish I could write like him." Took me twenty years to try. Maybe I had to live longer to have interesting things to say. LOL.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! I just had a birthday last month and I turned 50. When I was starting to feel down my mom said that "age is like a bee hive if you don't bother with it it won't bother with you. I asked her what the hell she was talking about and her advise was you are only as old as you allow yourself to be. Get up and do something for someone else and it will help you feel better about yourself too. She was right. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for all the birthday wishes!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Patty MacFarlane! You won my Amazon GC!
Marianne
Belated Happy B'day, Marianne! I'm glad you continued following your dream. I don't keep count (so I have to stop and calculate if someone asks me how old I am, lol).
ReplyDelete