In my twenties, two things happened to me that put me on a road to publication and shifted me to a career I never thought I deserved or believed to be possible.
1. My poem was accepted by Blue Mountain Arts in 2004. When I was in my early-20′s I had a deeply hidden desire to be a writer. But I didn’t pursue it because a) I adopted my parents’ belief that a writer wasn’t a practical or even a real job that could be pursued b) I didn’t think I had it in me.
Though I denied it, I was moved to write. I used to write poems and little letters with drawings on them and leave them hidden for my mom, dad or grandparents to find. And I was still writing opinion pieces for my local newspaper, but up until then I never got paid for publication in a book. {This was my first real experience as a published writer.}
One day I was deeply touched by the selflessness and wisdom of my mother and all mothers-the way she taught me the little things as a child (brush your teeth, look both ways before you cross the street, etc.) and then the bigger things (how to love, etc.) as I got older. I wrote a quick poem, made a copy of it with our photo on it and framed it for her for Mother’s Day.
On a whim, I also sent it into a card company I admired.
Imagine my surprise when I received a letter saying it would be published in a calendar and a book! read more »
