When I first ventured out on this endeavor, I was very hesitant, as a result of, what I thought people may say, how they might judge me. Writing fiction, I knew that someone would read the novel and immediately connect me to the main character and wonder if I was trying to share my life through, the 17-year-old main character, in Beyond the Hurt. There is probably a hint of myself in her, considering she chose me to share her story. Part of my words illustrate her fictional experience. In many ways, I learned a lot through her. I learned how to not be afraid of my own story and have the confidence to one day share it.
I like to call my style of writing reality writing. I can't much say if it is a real thing, but if reality television works, I don't see why my writing would be afar off. The characters I chose to portray remind me of several people I encountered growing up in Oakland, CA. I had several people to ask me if I based the characters on them. I made it a point to go back and reread it with them in mind, and surely if I were them, I would think the same. But the truth is, when certain moments of opposition or character development presented itself, I remembered how certain individuals would respond and react to the given situation.
I have been in education now over 13 years and spent many days in the classroom attempting to encourage and motivate teenagers to write from their experience and imagination. Equipping them with the writing tools and mechanics to master the assignment. Many days, hammering into their physche, the capacity to which they can achieve, yet not traveling that road myself. I thought myself more than capable, however, it didn't register until I was uttering the words to students about the ability and opportunity to become published authors; and with all my concepts and ideas, had yet to do so myself. Was I a hypocrite?
Not at all! At least now I am not. The moment you are pushing someone to do something that you have the same justification to achieve and you have not, you are indeed a hypocrite. But the good news, is that it is not a life sentence. I write because it affords me a freedom that no other thing has given me. A creative space that I can decide how and when I want to move through it. I am thrilled when the literary fairy comes and visits me in the middle of my dreams and leaves me with endless storylines. Writing creates various pathways of expression. Now that I am a published author, it is only right that I start my blog!