Writing Through Experience

I talked with a friend the other day about my book Hope for Joy.  She asked how much of it reflected personal experiences I had.  This is something that every writer faces: how much of their own experience do they draw on for their writing?

I will start by saying this:  many of the experiences I have had or those I have heard of firsthand have made it, in disguised form, into my writing.  For me, I couldn't write if I didn't have a frame of personal reference for my fiction.  Other writers may feel differently, but the idea of "write what you know" has always helped me get started.

My experience as a teaching assistant gave me a good story for the opening of my book.  I will say that the specific experience in the Hope for Joy opener did not happen to me, but I did experience a similar incident where a student was reading a  magazine in my classroom and it fell to the floor.  In my experience, the magazine's cover had a celebrity that looked *just like* my student. I made a few comments, held the magazine up for all to see, and I never *saw* a magazine open in class again. (Of course I am well aware that they may have found a better way to conceal them).

There's more to share, but I'll save it for another post.    See you next time!

Slow But Steady?

Have you ever heard the phase "slow and steady wins the race"?  Well, I'm not exactly racing but I am working toward my goal of publishing The Independence Inn soon.  I've hit a few snags in time management lately.  My days have become a bit busier since taking on an old but familiar part time job.  I've also had visits with family and friends, and the hot Texas sunshine has kept my attention elsewhere.  However, I am editing and making changes daily and will keep you informed on my progress.  Thanks for your patience!