People wonder - how can a math teacher suddenly become a fiction writer? Not so easy to answer. But it’s called evolution. One cannot teach math forever! Writing is much more fun, and one does not have to answer to anyone except oneself. Anyone can learn to write. But not everyone has the temperament or patience so see it through.
Why did I become a writer? And how did I manage to evolve from a non-fiction writer to a novelist? Where does my subject matter come from?
The Genesis of It All
There was a course in creativity that I took sometime in the 1990s. It introduced me to someone I had never met, but who became a mentor of sorts. I call her my “silent mentor,” as I am sure she is to many of her followers. Her name is Julia Cameron, and she is very special to all who follow her guidance.
How did she mentor me?
As I read her book, The Artist’s Way, I took her advice and did her exercises. Although her material was presented to everyone, only a few of us “stuck it out.” Several of the students dropped out. And that was unfortunate for them. Now decades later, I have written and will soon publish my 7th book, The Between Years.
Who Is Vanessa?
She was someone in my imagination. She is a fictional character. She is the leading character in Vanessa - a Love Story and Vanessa - The Next Chapter. She is not me. But someone who could have been a younger me had I the temperament and nerve to be her in books one and two of The Vanessa Trilogy.
How Did The Trilogy Originate?
What started as an assignment in a creative writing course, blossomed into a full novel. It followed no format; adhered to none of the formal rules for fiction writing - no outline, no story arc. It evolved “organically”, as my favorite interviewer, V. Helena likes to say.
Did Vanessa Have a Nemesis?
Vanessa had a lover: A lover who does what lovers do. They make you fall in love with them. What happens after that is up to you. And it was left up to her. A romance novel would have required them to get together. But this was not intended to be a “romance novel.”
So What Happens to our Vanessa?
There is seduction, romance, pinnacle, and resolution. Do they get together? I cannot tell. But you be the judge. It is a suspenseful ride to its riveting conclusion. These books are not in libraries. Too good to put down. Too good to just donate. Do you prefer an e-book? Call me.