It takes a series of events to be/become a writer. As a student, I had a C average in English in High School, and a C+ in college . When I passed my University Junior English Exam, I figured that was enough English for me.
Then I learned Spanish and 'ouch', my English reverted to fifth
grade level.
The years passed. Marriage and an assignment on Guam led to studying about the Chamorro people. After class, Sarah and Roger would talk about a writing contest on the island. Sarah encouraged both Roger and I to enter the island writing contest. So we did. I won a third place award with a certificate and a $10 money prize called "The Old Trapper" about an Alaskan Trapper and his trap line. Life goes on and a few kids later, the kids wanted
to set up a puppet show including hand puppets and ventriloquist
dummies (Jerry Mahoney dummies). The kids, Kenny, Kris, Kelli, Kathy and Konnie would write and present programs for the neighborhood kids.
It was about this time an idea kept pushing on me. The class about the Chamorro and remembering Sarah's encouragement I began to write. The best thing I did was join the League of Utah Writers. For ten years I had published writers encourage my efforts. Elizabeth Lane (Silhouette author), Ora Pate Stewart
(Utah Poet Emeritus), Blaine Yorguson (Pioneer writer) and Orson Scott Card (Sci Fi author) helped me learn
how to write. The scariest day was when I read aloud my own story. After ten seconds of silence, my
friends made suggestions. At that time, learning to write actually began.
We make an effort to write as much as possible. With seven children, including a handicapped boy, to care for with my wife, Kay, time at home did not exist. While riding to work on a city bus, I write. It took
two years to write (to and from home) on the bus and during lunch breaks to complete "Chamorro." This was 1984. It took until 1994 to find a publisher willing to put "Chamorro" in print. At last, success.
Retirement snuck up and grabbed me. In 1999, I met Kari Kinnard Pratt. We decided to write together
once a week. We used the Miami, Arizona, town library to write one hour a day one day per week. We did this for seven years which resulted in 26 stories. We published "Acorn Stew" in 2006. Publish America.net published our juvenile book "Liana's Wish Book 1: Liana Saves Huldi" in 2006. What a fun experience. But
because Publish America had no Ebook program, we reworked our contract and were given permission to
do an EBOOK. We changed the title, book cover and opened an Ebook account with Amazon.com/kindle
and Barnes and Noble.com/NOOK: "The Dragon Store Book1: Liana Saves Huldi."
Then I learned Spanish and 'ouch', my English reverted to fifth
grade level.
The years passed. Marriage and an assignment on Guam led to studying about the Chamorro people. After class, Sarah and Roger would talk about a writing contest on the island. Sarah encouraged both Roger and I to enter the island writing contest. So we did. I won a third place award with a certificate and a $10 money prize called "The Old Trapper" about an Alaskan Trapper and his trap line. Life goes on and a few kids later, the kids wanted
to set up a puppet show including hand puppets and ventriloquist
dummies (Jerry Mahoney dummies). The kids, Kenny, Kris, Kelli, Kathy and Konnie would write and present programs for the neighborhood kids.
It was about this time an idea kept pushing on me. The class about the Chamorro and remembering Sarah's encouragement I began to write. The best thing I did was join the League of Utah Writers. For ten years I had published writers encourage my efforts. Elizabeth Lane (Silhouette author), Ora Pate Stewart
(Utah Poet Emeritus), Blaine Yorguson (Pioneer writer) and Orson Scott Card (Sci Fi author) helped me learn
how to write. The scariest day was when I read aloud my own story. After ten seconds of silence, my
friends made suggestions. At that time, learning to write actually began.
We make an effort to write as much as possible. With seven children, including a handicapped boy, to care for with my wife, Kay, time at home did not exist. While riding to work on a city bus, I write. It took
two years to write (to and from home) on the bus and during lunch breaks to complete "Chamorro." This was 1984. It took until 1994 to find a publisher willing to put "Chamorro" in print. At last, success.
Retirement snuck up and grabbed me. In 1999, I met Kari Kinnard Pratt. We decided to write together
once a week. We used the Miami, Arizona, town library to write one hour a day one day per week. We did this for seven years which resulted in 26 stories. We published "Acorn Stew" in 2006. Publish America.net published our juvenile book "Liana's Wish Book 1: Liana Saves Huldi" in 2006. What a fun experience. But
because Publish America had no Ebook program, we reworked our contract and were given permission to
do an EBOOK. We changed the title, book cover and opened an Ebook account with Amazon.com/kindle
and Barnes and Noble.com/NOOK: "The Dragon Store Book1: Liana Saves Huldi."