“Your pub date is May 10, 2022.”
My heart quickened when I first read those words from Samantha, my project manager at She Writes Press. A smile spread across my face, and I raced outside to share the news with my husband Gene. He looked up from his garden giving me a thumbs up.
“Excited?” He grinned.
“Yes!” I grinned back. “But it seems so far away!” I protested. It was early 2021. Over a year seemed an awfully long time to wait for my book to be published. A book that had consumed much of my life for years.
I started writing (seriously writing) my book March of 2017. I could not even imagine calling myself a writer. I was a fledgling, a beginner, and hoped not a fraud. I knew I had a story inside of me, a story to tell.
An avid reader since my bookworm days as a little girl, I had always admired authors and held them in such high esteem that I was not ready to pin that title on myself. Slowly but surely my writing journey began as I struggled through memoir writing classes and a variety of writing workshops, writing retreats, and one on one coaching over the next four years.
I was comfortable calling myself -a woman, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a retiree, a friend, a senior citizen – and the list went on. But adding writer to that list caused me to squirm a little. I was even hesitant to say, “I’m writing a book.”
After years of remembering parts of my life I had blocked out forever and endless research I found myself soul searching and handwriting notes non-stop. I had a story to tell, and it poured out of me onto the page. Something I did not expect happened then. Peace began to replace fear and discomfort.
I realized if I wasn’t a writer, what was I? As draft after draft colored my days, I began to say out loud to anyone who asked, “I’m writing a book.” and each time it got easier to say. After winning places in three anthologies, after watching scenes from my memoir performed on stage, and having a monologue from my memoir performed on a virtual production – writer still stuck in my throat.
Still, where was the self-confidence I felt in all the other aspects of my life?
As I met more and more talented and fabulous writer friends I was told. “You are a writer. Say it loud and say it proud.” I tiptoed in a little further. I learned so many lessons from those generous and supportive writers and teachers holding my hand. Not only did I learn to believe in myself with all my heart, but to believe in my effort and to be bold. To be brave.
I also learned the huge impact they made on me by gifting me with their time, their wisdom, and their encouragement. This is something I will carry with me forever and hope to give back by bestowing that same gift to all the beginning writers I meet. To inspire and challenge is the best gift writers can give fellow writers and our readers as well.
I know my book is important because all words are. Your story matters as does mine. Mostly I do know my story is not just my story, but the story of hundreds of thousands of young women during the fifties and sixties who found themselves pregnant, no ring on their finger, and nowhere to turn.
Best of all the reward is now in sight. My book will be published and available wherever books are sold on May 10, 2022!
What seemed like forever is less than three months away and I’m saying it now and saying it proud. I am a Writer!