Muse

Ah the goddess Muse! I've often said Muse is YOU when writers lay at her feet their inability to produce. (Before someone leaves leaflets on my door, I am monotheistic.)

Regardless of theology, the trilogy is finished. It began with an unpremeditated short story email for a friend in January 2000, and grew into three books. That was quite an unexpected feat for this dyslexic short story writer.

I emailed a chapter a night to my friend Terrie Berg. In all, Kathryn's Beach took about 40 hours to write the first draft, and that was all I intended to do with it until Terrie printed it and shared it with people. Then out of embarrassment, I thought I'd edit it for her. I knew nothing about novel writing or the novel publishing industry -- and until then, gave no thought to either.

I write, as I have said many times, stream of consciousness style. I may have developed that style out of necessity in my writing classes in High School (UK college) and University because I worked full time and didn't have the luxury to spend weeks ticking at assignments.

Several house moves, children raising, two computers (I cracked, physically cracked, one hard drive) and the other stuff I do, along with different publishers or printers, here we are.

I looked with amazement at Storm Surge, not only required to be a story in its own right, but the completion of the trilogy. It was today that I noticed the symmetry of the story come full circle. The excerpt of Kathryn's Beach on my website is the scene where a mysterious letter is revealed that has been waiting for Kathryn. I just noticed that about the same distance from the end as that is from the beginning, another mysterious letter is waiting for Kathryn.

I've been harmlessly irreverent of the industry at times, but I revere my readers. There is no question I can write and I say that quite humbly because I come from a family of poets, writers and storytellers (liars), and I have my writing professor, Mr. Norlan, to thank -- though it began with Miss Barbee. I admit for the first time ever, that I believe there is Muse within a writer's spirit.

This isn't the end, I hope to have at least one more book out this year -- now that I have taken on the whole process myself, but for today I have let the ironing pile up and should give that some attention. I thank my husband for ironing his own shirts and my three sons for not being too picky about theirs. To all who have helped me, and there are many, I thank you.