Writers
Writers are my heroes. The public library was a sacred place when I was a child. From the creative minds of those who wrote the wonderful stories of my childhood, I learned to dream of adventure, to see cultures different from mine, to explore ideas previously unknown and often unimaginable. And, I learned to think and dared to dream.
Some of my most precious memories are of sitting on my father’s lap while he read to me and pointed out words that I would soon learn to recognize and read for myself.
For those who may be old enough to remember Dick and Jane and Spot, when I read those pages aloud, I knew the door had opened to worlds beyond a boy, a girl, and a dog. The world was mine by opening a book cover and turning the pages.
Writers, who had the courage and imagination to tell fantastic tales or share their life experiences, inspired me, educated me, and opened my mind to a world of possibilities. To every author who dared put words on a page, I thank you.
As I grew older, I became interested in the writers as much as in their work. I wanted to know how they created worlds, how they researched their topics, and how they determined that a story was worth telling, as well as what motivated them to tell it.
So, here we are. Writers are wonderful people. I have discovered that they not only share their stories, real or imagined, but they are also willing to share their writing process. They are willing to offer a helping hand to others, like me, who want to put words on a page. They are willing to share their knowledge.
The authors listed on the following pages were kind enough to answer my questions, whether about their process or what inspired them. I hope you enjoy what I have learned from them as much as I have enjoyed talking to them.
I still have a list of writers I want to talk to, so this is not the end, but perhaps the beginning.
SinDe