Hello world! This is my first attempt at blogging, so be warned. First off, a little history; When I was younger, I, like most Americans, went through the public school system and was exposed to the most boring books written by humankind. Forgive me if I’ve insulted anyone who loves Lord Of The Flies, along with all the other mundane, mind numbing, uninspired literature that hasn’t been protested by the book burners.
Don’t get me wrong, Lord OF the Flies was an interesting analysis of humanity, regarding social law versus natural instinct. In fact, it was the most interesting book that I read in school, which is probably why it’s the only one I really remember. It—unlike anything else we were required to read—was humanity in the raw. There was death, betrayal, envy, and hatred. Plus there was a little gore thrown in; nothing like a rotting, bloody, fly covered boars head to get your attention.
Do you remember the books you read in school?
I remember having to read many books, and had written many reports, in hope of getting at least a B+, I just don’t remember any of them. What were they about? Why did my teacher want me to read them? Was I supposed to learn something? I still can’t answer these questions.
Based on the books I had been exposed to, I couldn’t imagine any book being entertaining enough to hold my attention. So through middle school, high school, and even collage I refrained from reading for the purposes of pleasure. Then I read a little book by the name of “Harry Potter” by J. K. Rowling. I wasn’t the teenybopper looking for an interesting read, I was actually in my twenties at the time, working as a front desk agent at a motel. There was no television, and time would drag between client walk-ins. So a friend of mine lent me Harry Potter and the Sorceress Stone. Wow!
Buffy Freak
I had always loved the supernatural. Buffy, Angel, X-files, Xina warrior princess, you name it I probably recorded it on VHS and watch the reruns to this day, so Harry Potter was a fantastic transition into books. Unfortunately, I got busy with life and didn’t really pick up a book again until Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. After that, the hooks were deeply lodged in my flesh and a floodgate had burst. I had to read. Everything. As long as it was supernatural or fantastical I bought it, ordered it, downloaded it, and read it in two days or less. I couldn’t get enough.
Imagination is Invaluable
All these books that I read after that, eventually convinced me that what I really wanted to do, was write. I love coming up with strange an interesting worlds. Characters with depth, personality, and more than a few flaws. I’ve done this since I was a child. Most call it daydreaming, others call it a distraction. In school I had a habit of zoning out, meaning I would retreat into my mind and forget I was in a classroom, where a teacher was speaking about things that might be on a midterm. My mind would wonder and create off-the-wall scenarios, with indepth storylines and intricate characters. It was a problem when I was trying to focus on studies, so I tried to train—what is now a valuable asset—out of myself, when I should have been nurturing it. Imagination is invaluable to writers.
A lifetime of Development
My first book, Demon Possession, is a novel that, honestly, has been in development since I was old enough to imagine a world other than my own. As a child the story was much shorter and simpler, as a teen romance was introduced, and as an adult it became edgy. The final product is really the result of a lifetime of development.
