Bookish Blog Post #1: My Why

My grandma had typewriters that my sister and I would type away on. I always loved playing with them. I sometimes envisioned myself as Kit Kiterage (American Girl) typing away stories from the Great Depression. Then, when I was fourteen, I had this wild dream and found the desire to write it out. I remember how little I knew about writing a book... it was 8,000 words and only five chapters. Oh my... But I wrote a sequel... a little longer and honestly a little cooler of a story. I know I wrote more stories, these ones as mysteries. I love them, but again, had no idea how to write suspense or longer than 50,000 words.

I turned 18 and went to a Christian camp where I met my now husband. I began writing more stories, all different genres. I even started talking to a publisher, but when I realized how expensive it was to publish, I shot that dream down since I was then engaged and planning a wedding.

Then, someone asked me to write a Christmas program for our church. I told myself, "if they like it, I'm trying again to write a story." And guess what, they did. I jumped for joy, I cried (happy tears), I was now motivated. I did research, asked questions, figured out a story.

I first started with the suspense story. I did love it, but I didn't know how to make my cop drag out the mystery, without making her a "stupid" cop. So, I gave up. I prayed. I read like crazy. And when I read for the second time in my life, "The Selection Series", I had come to find out Kiera Cass is a Christian and the story is a collision of Cinderella and Esther. And I thought that was awesome. So, I prayed for a story like that.

Insert Freed. I wanted to write a retelling of Rahab because she is my favorite. It was hard to combine a princess, but I kind of connected Rapunzel (kidnapped, "locked" in a tower, just no long hair haha) I am so proud of that story, but it was only the beginning.

Freed is a good story, but as I am writing more stories, they are better written in my opinion. And others agree, too. As I said in one reel "Freed taught me to be a writer, He Chose Me taught me to be an author."

Now, do I think I am the most amazing author in the world? Heck no. Do I think I am the best at marketing? Even BIGGER no! But, do I think God called me to be an author, even if NO ONE reads my books? Yes. Yes I do. (but praise the Lord for those who have read them! Thank you if you are one of my readers also reading this!) I write because God gave me a passion to write.

Another reason why I keep writing, is I think about what I "missed out on" as a teen. I liked to read (my love for reading grew as I got older) but I had very little options with the small-town library. What my library did have, was spicy YA books, which I never read. I had to read either younger than my age books or older than my age books that my mom recommended it seemed like. Even later in life, I found Disney stories told from the Prince's POV and when I used Christmas money to buy then, I started reading A Prince of Song and Sea (Prince Eric's POV) the sub-characters were gay. I threw the book in rage. And I was too late for returning them, so it felt like a double blow to the gut. So, as I have grown farther into my writing "career", I knew I wanted to write YA for those who are struggling with the same thing as I had. Sure, if adults read my book - hurray! - but my target audience are teenage girls looking for romance that is clean, not over the top mushy, with fun subplots, nothing going against their beliefs, and lessons they can glean from. That is my why.

Next week's topic: smut - even in Christian romance.