| I began writing in elementary school--a play for our class to perform for Christmas. I received my first rejection when the teacher chose the other student's play. We writers are a sensitive bunch and yet we choose a career where rejection letters are plentiful and contracts few and far between.
After my first taste of writing and rejection, I discovered how much fun it was to chase the boys, so my writing took a long vacation. In my junior year of high school, I wrote a play in English and with the help of my friend, Lynell, translated it into Spanish. We produced it for all the classes that taught Spanish, both junior and senior high schools, in the school district. The title, Blood Sweat and Tears, had more to do with the rehearsals than the story itself. My short-lived stint as a writer/director was enough to encourage me to return to chasing boys--less rewarding at times, but also less stressful.
During my adult years as a wife and mother, my writing remained on the back burner with diapers to change, dishes to wash, clothes to iron, and a garden to water and weed. As my two daughters got older (if you feed them, they will grow) I began to write once again. I returned to college at the ripe old age of 40 to brush up on the craft of writing. Being happily married it's safe to say I didn't have to worry about getting side tracked chasing boys. For my final in a creative writing class I wrote yet another play. What is it with me and plays? Anyway, with no distractions I managed to get an A in the class. Yeah!!! Still haven't graduated from college but boy do I have a lot, and I mean a LOT of college credits--probably enough to create my own degree in something.
I do have to confess that I've been hiding a secret--my love for reading. Books and I are a perfectly matched pair (just don't tell my husband this bit of information). Usually I am reading two or three books the same time while trying to stay out of trouble. Trouble? Me? Read on.
If my life were complicated enough with college, teenagers, and a husband I decided to buy a word processor. Once I mastered it I charged ahead to a REAL computer. After all, how much harder could a computer be to learn? After programming it in French, losing files, not backing up all those lost files, and somehow deleting the application to the operating system, the honeymoon with my computer was definitely over.
Somehow I missed hearing that computers only do what you "tell" them to do--not what you wanted or hoped they would do.
For a while, things were sooooooooooooo bad when I walked into this one large computer chain store (I won't mention any names) the clerks would suddenly vanish into thin air. I had to resort to having the manager help me or page some poor clerk. Eventually I was able to stop abusing my computer and began creating files full of stories--some true, some not.
FYI: Fictions writers never lie.We just embellish.
By now, both of my daughters were married (Happy days are here again...) so I spread my wings and began attending writer's conferences. One thing led to another (we all knew it would eventually happen) and I wrote my first very short book. It was well received by friends (paid) and family (obligated) so I thought I'd retire as a writer. That is until my mother asked if there was going to be a sequel. Mothers! Can you ever figure them out? I can't and I have the inside track on their trade secrets!
My days of early retirement and live TV Court viewing on hold, I spend most days writing, reading, cruising the WEB, and spoiling my two grandsons. Right about now I think I need to say something very profound: Being a grandmother is a lot, I mean a LOT more fun than being a mother ever was. And in the eyes of Scottie and Nicholas, my two handsome grandsons, I am perfect.
Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead? Not in this lifetime.
As I've aged gracefully, I've come to know the Lord in ways I never thought possible. God, author of the greatest book, the Bible, has faithfully guided me through all the good and hard times and everything in between. Because of His love for me, I will have more stories begging to be told than I will ever have the time to write and share with you...but I'm going to try, so you haven't heard the last of me.
Writing for the Lord!
Bonnie
Please feel free to contact me: bllwriter@sbcglobal.net
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