IWSG: . . . When I began writing . . .

When we were kids, didn't we all think, "Someday, I will . . . ?"

Maybe I wanted to be an astronaut, to travel the world, and, yes, to become a treasured suburban wife. It was the 1950's after all. But my dreams changed as I became a teenager. I still did want to travel the world, but in my heart, I wanted to be a poet, a dreamer, a writer.

Reality came next. As I worked my way through college, I gave up the idea of becoming an astronaut. Too much math. I became a banker and a teacher, and then I met Allen. I became a world traveler by his side -- and a treasured wife. When I retired from teaching, I became a writer. 

My stories were inspired by the travels we'd taken -- and the history I'd studied of the Industrial Revolution:  Scotland and England in the 1840s. Four books later, I turned to mysteries and now, I love writing every day as I work on my second novel of art crime fiction. 

IWSG's question for this month asks if there have been any surprises along the way. Yes. I have been thrilled to write my stories and find readers who seem to keep coming back! Thank you! Standing Stones, the first in my historical fiction series, now has over 1,200 reviews. And that was a BIG surprise! 

The first art crime fiction I wrote was about a missing tapestry. Perhaps you know about those six famous tapestries on display in Paris -- their theme, the lion and the unicorn, a gift for royalty to use to keep those stone walls warm in their imposing castles. But, asked that writer within, what if there were a seventh tapestry? And what if it went missing? 

November brings us to Thanksgiving, and if you've read this far, I think you deserve a gift! Here it is: if you haven't read it, you can pick up a free copy of The Seventh Tapestry, starting tomorrow, November 6, through Sunday, November 9.  

A note about the Insecure Writer's Support Group: Each month, IWSG posts a question for participating writers to consider. Here's the question for this month: When you began writing, what did you imagine your life as a writer would be like? Were you right, or has this experience presented you with some surprises along the way?

IWSG's purpose is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writers! 

The awesome co-hosts for the November 5 posting of the IWSG are Jennifer Lane, Jenni Enzor, Renee Scattergood, Rebecca Douglass, Lynn Bradshaw, and Melissa Maygrove!  Why not visit them to see what they imagined when they began writing?