I guess my "Writing Career" started back in High School, in my Junior English Lit class. Mrs. Morano was my English Lit teacher. She was a great teacher.
She loved everything I wrote and encouraged me to write every day. I continued to write because of her influence throughout the rest of my high school years and even for a few years after I graduated.
Then "life" emerged and took over the next twenty-five years. Marriage, the birth of my son, divorce and the death of my son ten years ago.The writing had stopped during those years, but the love of books kept the desire to write again, someday, alive in me.
Books have always been a passion for me. Mystery Books are at the very top of my list. I've been reading mysteries since I was a little girl, starting with the Bobbsey Twins and The Happy Hollisters; moving on to Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys, and ending up reading every book Agatha Christie wrote...over and over again.
I never tried new authors, being comfortable with how Miss Christie wrote and fearing that new authors may have been a bit more graphic than I wanted. After many trips to the library and only checking out Christie's books, the librarian asked why I only read her books. When I explained, she smiled and said "You're in for a real treat."
We walked up and down the aisles in the library as she handed me book after book. Authors like Diane Mott Davidson, Carolyn Hart, Mary Daheim, Jill Churchill and M.C.Beaton. When I had accummulated approximately ten books, we checked the books out and she said, "Trust me. You're going to love these books."
And she was right! I loved them all and devoured every one of them way before they were due back at the library. And since then I've discovered more and more great cozy mystery authors and their series.
Inspired by these fun new mysteries, I started writing again a few years after my son's death. I wrote a few short stories and, after coming up with a few ideas for my own mystery serials, I wrote two or three chapters for each series. But I never really did much with any of them. Ohio was no longer inspiring me; I was feeling a bit stale. I needed some new adventure in my life.
I turned fifty-one during my vacation to Florida in 2004, flying in two days after hurricane Charley hit and flying out the day before Jeanne hit. People thought I was nuts two weeks later when I gave my notice at work and announced I was moving to Florida. I spent the next two weeks giving away or selling everything that wouldn't fit in my Saturn. I had lived in Ohio my whole life and had never driven more than an hour away by myself, but on October 10th I packed my car and, with my road atlas laying on the passenger seat, headed south.
I had no idea where I was going, but after visiting the west coast on my vacation I knew I was going to be a west-coaster. On my 3rd day in Florida I drove through the Bradenton area and made my way down to the beaches. Driving on the islands, stopping occasionally to stand and stare out into the Gulf, I knew this was where my new life would be.
The white sand beaches and the Gulf are breathtaking. The landscaping, in town and on the beaches, is beautiful with tons of colorful flowers and plants. And the people are the friendliest people in the world. Bradenton is a great place to live. I've been here four years and have never regretted my decision to settle here. Living here has given me the inspiration I needed to begin writing again, even though I don't get a lot of time to do it.
Our wonderful Manatees.
Our inspirational Bradenton Beach sunsets.
Horses in Palma Sola Bay.
Holmes Beach Sunset.
Our Backyard.
A day on Coquina Beach.
The prize Lily by the pond.
Dinner guest at the back door.
