I think I started writing when I was
about 9. Not necessarily on paper, but
certainly building stories in my head—
most of which I told to my parents to
keep my rear end out of a sling. Some I
told other kids just for the fun of
watching their faces, and some I lived
through, and stored the memories
away for later, like a
squirrel stores nuts.
Another trim job by Mom on
the old bangs, at about 9
Judging by the expression on
my face here at 6, I imagine I
was caught at being up to no
good ...
I started writing in earnest in 1985, and never wrote a
sentence worth reading, which in no way stopped me
from being drawn to the keyboard; an idea hit, and it
was Katy bar the door.
My sister Dianne barely in the photo on the left, and my
sister Judy's girl, Amy. She's older now, than I was then.
Many hit in the middle of the night, which left me
keeping odd hours. I was frustrated, wanted to
write in the worst way, but even I didn't want to read
what I wrote.
So, I put it aside to raise kids and one day in 2001, I
found myself alone. The husband was off hunting and
the kids were off doing what kids do when they get old
enough to leave the house unsupervised.
It was during this quiet time that I picked up the
writing again after discovering one critical fact that
had heretofore evaded me; I sucked at fiction. Once I
started writing about life, and living and kids and
livestock, my fingers literally could not keep up with
my brain. Like a storm the ideas started coming and
I started typing, just like I always have and always
will; with two index fingers and one middle finger.
Seven years later, I can type faster that way than most people type with ten fingers. I had no
choice but to learn how to make it work. I didn't take typing in school, did not graduate high
school, and knew very little about punctuation, so I had to start learning or sink.
If I tried to list every person who has encouraged me since that day, or pushed me to
keep writing, I would soon run out of room and you would sooner run out of patience.
The list, I suspect, would read like a telephone book. A few people stand out, namely
Ann, George, Rich, John, David, Bill, Patria ... and so many more ... all my friends at
Kountry Life and Hunt America. My family, my kids, a few key editors; Cynthia Krahl at
The Wauchula Herald-Advocate, Romona Washington at The Sebring News-Sun,
Thomas Edwards at The River Cities Tribune in Marble Falls, Texas, and a dozen others
who trusted me. From a simple ... "Good story!" to, "Girl, you need to get yourself
published!" the motivations have been numerous and varied.
Almost as varied as the material, because if I have been anything, I have been
inconsistent. Now with two books on the horizon and several weekly
columns behind me, I am more determined than ever to keep going and never
give up, and all I can say to all those who supported me and always had
something positive to say, I can't thank you enough. I will never forget you or
your kind words ... and thanks again for the little avatar below that was made
for me some 7 years ago, although it's pronounced Mouzer, not Mouser.
Thank you very much for
visiting my Web site!
The beginning ...
My nieces Lydia and Amy ...
Mom and Dad ,,, back before they were Mom and Dad.
The lost years .... high school ... found again by my best friend, Tracy.