Writer's Credence

In addition to working on finishing my novel, I'm also working on the proposal that I'll need to send out to an endless number of possible agents. One required section is what I'm affectionately calling the cheerleader segment. This is about a page long which includes a description of myself, where I'm from, what work I do and anything I can possibly come up with that will tell the unnamed agent that I am the only one who can write this book and make it a bestseller.

I've been putting a lot of thought into my potential writer's guruness and trying to come up with the answer to this question. Why should I be the one to write this story? The first thought that comes to mind is that this is MY story. I came up with it and it's mine, all mine! Okay, now my adult answer... I think anyone can become a writer if they choose to; now I didn't say a good writer, but anyone can make up a story and write it down. Besides, that's why we love editors, they're paid to make our words beautiful! Yeah for editors!!

But seriously, we're story tellers by nature. And we all have wild imaginations. Just think of all of the times in the past when someone in your life has said or done something...and you have gone off the handle because "THIS" is obviously what they're saying/doing. (The jerks!!) See what I mean...wild imaginations. Or, how about when the tables have been turned and someone accuses you of meaning "enter some inane and completely idiotic thought here" and you just look at them with an odd expression on your face and wonder, "How on earth do you make it from day to day and survive?"

So besides having what I consider a healthy and slightly overactive imagination, I also study anthropology, actually I have for the past 17 years; which for those of you who may not know is the study of human beings. What we do, why we do it, how we do it and when; particularly archaeology. You have to have a pretty open and imaginative mind to take a pile of dirt and be able to turn its contents into the daily lives of a people who lived there hundreds or thousands of years ago. It seriously takes some talent to be able to see through the mud and grasp the human lives that were there; I thought it would be easy, I was wrong.

I've also studied other religions for as long as I can remember. This opens up a whole new world(s). Myths and stories evolve, names and locations change, but the basic structure stays intact; which is why you can find a flood story, or a resurrection story in just about every religion on the planet. And for the most part, religions are pretty great; its the people who decided to write them down in what ever way would suit their personal interests, shove them in other's faces and force specific interpretations that have screwed up the whole system. That's just my opinion though, you have every right to disagree.

But studying religions allows you to see what has motivated people. And unfortunately, what has motivated people to kill, torture, accuse and hate; but on the flip side the same religion can motivate love, compassion, friendship and empathy...There are plenty of stories and plots to be had when looking at religion.

So you put all of this together and build a story revolving around an open interpretation of a Fae and human mixed-blood race who have been secretly living amongst us, who were persecuted during the time of the witch craze and inquisitions, a vampiric race out for blood and vengeance, shape-shifting warriors, elemental beings, murder and love, family and lose, friendships and resentments - and viola! You have my story, as only I can tell it :-) That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!