IWSG: Putting the Insecure in IWSG!
I’ve got a secret. It’s deep and dark and one I’ve carried since the first of my 68 books was published back in 1987.
Our Insecure Writers Support Group question for June is: Writers have secrets – What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?
The funny thing about my secret is I never had a problem with it until I was published. I’ve always been a writer. I’ve never wanted to do anything else. I scribbled through notebooks of lined paper, have boxes of trial and errors someplace in the basement, and even told my mother when she insisted I go to college that, yes, I’d go but all I’d still want to be was an author.
Getting that first contract was the proudest moment of my life. That was back when I didn’t know another writer lived in the state of Michigan and had never met one in the wild. I had a local news reporter come to my house for an interview and had my picture taken with my two young sons posing with a stack of my two first releases that came out in the same month. It was a full- page article on the front of the Entertainment section! But all I took from reading the article was “Church-going housewife writes romance novels – oh, how cute and . . . naughty.” That headline might well have been “Baptist Writes Smut!” My now ex was horrified and hoped no one saw it - until he was teased mercilessly at work. His family never, EVER spoke about my writing (except for my nieces and nephews and my mom and sisters!). What should have been my proudest accomplishment felt more like a walk of shame. Something I should hide.
Everyone knows a romance writer’s cross to bear is the snickers (and not the yummy kind!). “When are you going to write a ‘real’ book?” “Oh, a love story. How sweet!” “I don’t read THOSE kinds of books.” When in a pack of writers, it’s easy to blow off those jibes but when circulating in a crowd of strangers it became my dirty little secret NOT to share.When meeting new people outside the industry, I never passed out bookmarks, never spoke of new releases or boasted of my backlist. The question of “What do you do?” was always answered, “I’m a stay at home mom”, “I work for an attorney,” not “I’m the award-winning author of 68 published novels!”
I must admit, my friends, my employers and especially my critique group never let me get away with cringing modesty, especially when one of the attorneys (now a judge!) read portions of my love scenes over the intercom at the office with such good-natured relish, I had to laugh and stop taking myself so seriously (and his wife and my fellow assistants grabbed up all my new releases!).
Thirty years later, I’m proud to say I’m in semi-recovery. I still shy from book signings and can’t make myself chase down strangers waving a copy of my newest release. But I DO, when asked what I do, admit that I’m a published author - of books. Yes, romance in general but in particular– historical, contemporary suspense, paranormal, a horror movie adaptation and screenplays, and self-help for writers chap books. I’m a writer. That’s what I do. I’m not rich, I’m not famous, but I’m happy doing what I love to do.
The secret is out!
So, this is me – boldly promoting my first four-book boxed set The House of Terriot , a mini-series from the soon to be 15-book By Moonlight dark shapeshifter series.
Preview Book
Add to Goodreads TBR→
And when RISE BY MOONLIGHT comes out in July, it will be Book 70! All-in-all, not bad for a stay-at-home mom turned retired legal assistant!
I’ve told you mine. What’s YOUR secret?
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.The awesome co-hosts for the June 3rd posting of the IWSG will be Pat Garcia, J.Q. Rose, and Natalie Aguirre!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
Our Insecure Writers Support Group question for June is: Writers have secrets – What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?
The funny thing about my secret is I never had a problem with it until I was published. I’ve always been a writer. I’ve never wanted to do anything else. I scribbled through notebooks of lined paper, have boxes of trial and errors someplace in the basement, and even told my mother when she insisted I go to college that, yes, I’d go but all I’d still want to be was an author.
Getting that first contract was the proudest moment of my life. That was back when I didn’t know another writer lived in the state of Michigan and had never met one in the wild. I had a local news reporter come to my house for an interview and had my picture taken with my two young sons posing with a stack of my two first releases that came out in the same month. It was a full- page article on the front of the Entertainment section! But all I took from reading the article was “Church-going housewife writes romance novels – oh, how cute and . . . naughty.” That headline might well have been “Baptist Writes Smut!” My now ex was horrified and hoped no one saw it - until he was teased mercilessly at work. His family never, EVER spoke about my writing (except for my nieces and nephews and my mom and sisters!). What should have been my proudest accomplishment felt more like a walk of shame. Something I should hide.
Everyone knows a romance writer’s cross to bear is the snickers (and not the yummy kind!). “When are you going to write a ‘real’ book?” “Oh, a love story. How sweet!” “I don’t read THOSE kinds of books.” When in a pack of writers, it’s easy to blow off those jibes but when circulating in a crowd of strangers it became my dirty little secret NOT to share.When meeting new people outside the industry, I never passed out bookmarks, never spoke of new releases or boasted of my backlist. The question of “What do you do?” was always answered, “I’m a stay at home mom”, “I work for an attorney,” not “I’m the award-winning author of 68 published novels!”
I must admit, my friends, my employers and especially my critique group never let me get away with cringing modesty, especially when one of the attorneys (now a judge!) read portions of my love scenes over the intercom at the office with such good-natured relish, I had to laugh and stop taking myself so seriously (and his wife and my fellow assistants grabbed up all my new releases!).
Thirty years later, I’m proud to say I’m in semi-recovery. I still shy from book signings and can’t make myself chase down strangers waving a copy of my newest release. But I DO, when asked what I do, admit that I’m a published author - of books. Yes, romance in general but in particular– historical, contemporary suspense, paranormal, a horror movie adaptation and screenplays, and self-help for writers chap books. I’m a writer. That’s what I do. I’m not rich, I’m not famous, but I’m happy doing what I love to do.
The secret is out!
So, this is me – boldly promoting my first four-book boxed set The House of Terriot , a mini-series from the soon to be 15-book By Moonlight dark shapeshifter series.
Preview Book
Add to Goodreads TBR→And when RISE BY MOONLIGHT comes out in July, it will be Book 70! All-in-all, not bad for a stay-at-home mom turned retired legal assistant!
I’ve told you mine. What’s YOUR secret?
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time.The awesome co-hosts for the June 3rd posting of the IWSG will be Pat Garcia, J.Q. Rose, and Natalie Aguirre!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
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