Good morning. I don't have a guest blogger today, so I'll be posting. First an update on my mom. She's doing better. She doesn't have pneumonia, just a really bad cold. So, she's on meds and is resting up.
I've really enjoyed having all the guest bloggers and learning about their books and lives. Today, I'll talk a little about me.
I've been writing since high school, but before that, I had imaginary friends who I'd go on adventures with. I'd talk to them, they'd talk to me. I guess I just never thought to write our adventures down. Plus, I used to play Barbie and Ken, and they usually had a romance going on....
I started reading romances in high school, when I was about 16 and a friend gave me some Harlequins to read. I like historicals the most now, but still read a few contemporaries now and then.
I wrote my first romances in my early 20's, long-hand in spiral notebooks. Then I finally got a computer and typed one up on it. I sent it to Harlequin, but since I didn't know about agents, or query letters, or even what a synopsis was, it was returned to me unread. I put my writing on hold for about 15 years while I raised my family. But the stories kept tumbling around in my head.
I finally got serious about writing in 2002, when I wrote two historicals in six months, then I took a Creative Writing class at my local college. That's where I learned about agents, query letters and what a synopsis was. During this time, I also learned about writing groups, in particular, RWA. I joined up and by the end of 2005, I had a short story romance published.
Since then, I've published five more short stories and have another one, as well as a novella, under contract.
I have two grown daughters, a grandson and two granddaughters. We also have two, well maybe three, cats (I rescued a kitten a few weeks ago from almost certainly being run over and though I've asked people about taking her, I think we'll be keeping her. She's a calico and my husband has decided to call her "Spot."). I am also going to college, at long last. In May I graduated from the same school I took my creative writing class with an A. A. in Education/History, with Honors. I'll be transferring to another school this fall for my B.A.
So, thanks again for everyone who's stopping by to say hi and to support my guest bloggers. Anyone making a comment today will be eligible for the E-Books Prize Package drawing. Also, today's prize is a sterling silver 'dreams keeper' charm necklace.
~Anna Kathryn
13 comments:
Anna, great to get to know about you. I give you and anyone else who goes back to school so much credit. I made it through a half semester of college, couldn't stomach the thought of 3 1/2 more years and signed up for a 3 mo. travel agent school. (I did finish that full year of college, though.) Even now, 17 years later, I have no desire to go sit back in a classroom unless it's at a writer's conference.
We also rescued a very young kitten last summer, white and gray, and my kids wanted to name it Gray Spot. LOL The kitten went to my bro/SIL and they decided on Olive.
Looking forward to the rest of the month here. :)
We had a cat for over 10 years. When we got her, we couldn't decide on a name, so she ended up being called "Cat" her whole life. She knew that was her name, too.
A.K.
Glad your mom is going to be fine.
Anna, I really adore you for all what you've managed to do: write stories, get published and study. Studying as an adult is totally a different thing than doing it as a teenager or very young. With all the everyday life things to do. Best of luck to your MA degree!
thanks, but right now, I'm not planning to go after an M.A., just a B.A. Besides in teaching, with a masters degree, I'd only make $1,000 or so more a year!
I have to say, I've gotten MUCH better grades as an adult student than as a kid right out of high school. My gpa is 3.85, straight A's except for one B (in History, I just couldn't get 90 or above on the tests!) and one C (math and hell, I was happy with that C!!!)
I can get $500 a semester in scholarships at my new school, but I have to maintain that 3.85, and honsetly, I don't see me doing that with the higher classes. Besides, I have to take 9 hours at the school. Well, this fall, I'm only taking 6 there, because I'm taking 6 at the school I just graduated from...so 12 hours total. I don't think I want to take 15, even for $500, when I'm not sure I can maintain that average.....oh well, there's time to decide! Not much, about 4 weeks, but still time.
A. K.
I've very similar experiences of studying as an adult. You're motivated in a very different way than you were when you were 18 years and also you can analyse things in a different way and so on. I've also completed my studies this spring after years not thinking ever doing that. Very much because of the salary. Now when I have my MA degree I get a little bit better salary. These days, with expensive food and everything, it's a big thing.
I am glad your Mom is going to be ok. Thanks for sharing about your life.
So glad to hear your Mom is doing better. And a giant atta-girl for all your accomplishments.
Nice to hear your mom will be ok
Anna, we have a black cat that my daughter calls shadow. My son has 4 small turtles that he calls, Charlie, Skooter, SLowpoke and Tweezer. He has asthma so he can't have a furball in the house. LOL
Glad to hear your mom doesn't have pneumonia.
I enjoy learning about the authors I read.
Kimmy, cute names for your turtle. :) My son who's going to be 15 in a few days (where the heck did the time fly?) had two turtles back when he was about 4. Turtle Netzel, and Turtle 2. LOL
Anna, hey, Cat works, too. :) And 3.85 gpa is pretty darn impressive.
Its nice to know more about the person who wrote the books. Enjoyed reading about you and your family. I have no children myself but I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters - a big family and I'm a grand aunt many times over!
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