♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦
Topic #396
Who was the first person who ever believed in you?
Welcome back to another Open Book Blog Hop! The authors included in this ongoing series wish to thank you for your reads. Even more so, we appreciate that you share our writings with friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Prepare to become a regular reader.
Wowzers, does this take me back! I started writing shortly after seeing the film Memphis Belle (1990). I drove my friends absolutely batty with this movie. Not only was it star studded, with practically every man a GenX’r could want to see, but the subject was my favorite period in time. I could not get enough. Not only did this introduce me to the incomparable Harry Connick Jr., but I also discovered a couple more actors who have remained among my favorites since: D.B. Sweeney and Billy Zane.
A couple of years ago, I was able to meet D.B. Sweeney on a private online forum for screenwriters. It was a fabulous couple of hours, listening to him talk about his career and answer our questions. The man is as friendly as I had hoped. It really brought things full circle to get to engage in this event!
In those early days of my writing, I scribbled all of the time in a binder that I kept with me through all classes and breaks. There was never a time I was without, unless I made the grave mistake of forgetting it at home, in which case, I would find loose paper to use. My favorite place to do my writing was in my bookstore study hall period. Between my friends and the high school staff member who helped us run the bookstore, Mrs. D, I had quite a great support system.
Mrs. D said that I would undoubtedly be published one day, and she was right. I did not give up that dream because of this support, even though it never quite turned out as I had pictured. My friends Rachel M who was not in the bookstore, and Jen C, Stacy R, Katrina L — who all sat through the study hall with me in the bookstore, asked lots of questions about my work. Their support was imperative. I missed it a great deal once school was over. I could have used the lift in the dark times after college, but paths parted and I found myself with fewer of the contacts I once had.
If it were not for the interest and support of friends and teachers in my early years, I don’t think I would have continued writing for very long. Their encouragement kept me fed, so to speak. The feeling that this gave me is probably why I go on to this day. Creating worlds and people and telling stories was very fulfilling in those days. Despite all of the work that it now entails, I still get a taste now and then of that thrill.
Oddly enough, a few of the people who supported me early on came back into my life later through social media. Jen C is always in my corner cheering me on. She’s one of the best people I’m privileged to know. Kind hearts are treasures indeed. And, my closest friend, Rachel is still in my corner to this day. In fact, after supplying me with lots of Memphis Belle magazine tear-outs, became my daughter’s aunt in 2017.
So who supported the other writers in our hop? Click on their links below to find out. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog in order to get this hop sent to your inbox weekly. See you back here soon!
