Reading vs. Writing

I have been an avid reader for years. I used to tease and tell people that I was grounded so much as a child that the only thing I could do was read books. I'm sure there is some truth to that, as I have a very curious mind and as a child I liked to take things apart, I just didn't always put them together right. Or, I liked to feed the VHS player, toilet paper and even after my dad took it apart and got all the little pieces out of it, and put it back together it never worked right.

Either way, I've been an avid reader for years. I would like to say that I always loved reading, but that's not true. When I was a kid, I loved the idea of reading, but I did struggle with it. I have dyslexia, and apraxia (affects my speech, motor and sensory skills), it is hard to read something when you don't know how to say it, but needless to say I persisted and now I have a book or three on my phone I'm reading, one in the bathroom, one beside my bed, and I'm sure there's one or two in the living room. Yes, I read about 5 books at a time. Some of them I've read before and I just enjoy them and some of them are new. I also listen to audiobooks on my commute to and from work. Reading is everything to me.

As a child, I was bullied for talking differently. Most people would just assume that I'm from another country, but I'm not, and growing up kids can be cruel. Music and books were my escape. I used to play on the piano for hours, working through my frustrations. As I got older, I still relied on music to get me through the darkness and loneliness that I felt.

I used to dream of writing, but never thought I was good enough, yet here I am as an adult, and I've published my first book and I'm finishing up my second book. It's been hard, but I did it, and I plan on continuing to write, and maybe one day I can quit my job and become a full-time writer. Or maybe not quit, I enjoy teaching but maybe work part time. I think that's an oxymoron. A teacher working part-time—ha! Most days I bring my work home with me, but still.

When I read a book, I always felt like it must have been easy for the author to create. Everything seemed too easy, and the writing was flawless. Now that I am the one in front of the computer, it's not so easy. Sometimes I stare at the screen and will for words to come pouring out, but they don't. Not when I want to write. I have found that the best times that the words want to come out are when I'm about to fall asleep or in the shower. Go figure.

I've been blogging for years, and I'll share other's books, I'll hold book cover contests/favorite author etc and sometimes I'll even share my reviews. I would like to do more. There are so many amazing authors out there with their own story of how they got started, and I wish there was a simple way for everyone to meet them. If you know the secret, please let me know.

I hope to share their stories with you. I know when I write there is a lot of me in my characters. Not just the MC, but the supporting characters as well. I take inspiration from everyone around me, I even have a character based on my husband and I'll admit, it is nice to channel my inner asshole (or his, and I mean that as a compliment).

I'm still new to all of this, even though I've been around and survived one horrible publishing experience. I add humor to everything. If you aren't sure if you should laugh, then you probably should. I am very sarcastic. Even my students look at me sometimes as if they are unsure of what I just said or how to take me. :) I won't be upset if you laugh at me, more than likely I am laughing at myself.

So the point of this post? Really, I just wanted to say hi, and the title came to me. So as I bring this to a close, I can only hope that for some, my book(s) is (soon to be are) a refuge for someone else. Someone else who is seeking to hide from reality, even if it is just for a little bit. I hope my books bring something out of the reader, whether it is comfort or a feeling of understanding and empathy. Most importantly, I hope my books feel that they were easy to write, because they weren't, but that they draw the reader in from the very first word. I believe that is what every author wants and what every dreamer should have.