This blog is both exciting and scary for me. But hey, I’m game for adventure of any kind, so here I am. I’m venturing into a new career in the world of authors. That’s right. My first book, Only When the Loon Sings, a Historical Romance, will be released January 27,2012 by The Wild Rose Press. And that’s the exciting part. But I’m not computer savvy, so….that’s the scary aspect.
Let me tell you a bit about myself and you’ll understand why compiling a web site (Visit me here at Beverly Wells Author), and using the computer in new ways is so foreign to me. For years, other than being a wife and mother of two boys, I devoted most of my time and energy into my nursing career. Oh, I’ve used the computer at work—doing nursing notes on my homecare patients. I can also email, get on the Internet and find my way through its mazes fairly well. I write my novels on the computer and can now send them to my editor. I’ve done grown up, yes siree. Not really. I lie. I’ve even recently joined facebook at my publisher’s suggestion—but I’m still shuffling along with that one. Blog, twitter, loops and links—YIKES!—well let’s say I’m trying to learn and leave it at that. I’ve been writing novels for many years and belong to LCRW, my local writing chapter in upstate NY, but up until now hadn’t been published.
Over many long years as a nurse, I’ve had the honor and privilege of caring for hundreds, more like thousands of patients. From working in hospital ICU’s and ER’s to private medical groups, and finally for the NYS Dept. of Health as a Public Health Nurse with my focus on homecare and various clinics. And I’ve enjoyed every minute.
Though recently retired, I keep my hand in the medical field by privately contracting with the Dept of Health to do clinics. I also serve on the Medical Reserve Corps as part of Homeland Security. Though the corps continues to train in preparedness, I fervently pray there will never be a reason for them to call us in the future. I hope you feel the same way.
Ever since childhood, I’ve been enamored with the story of Cinderella. What little girl isn’t? But once I grew up, I read only books required in school and in college, and then I had my nose stuck in medical books. I didn’t realize I’d stopped reading for pleasure until a back injury put me flat on back for weeks and bored to death. My friend, Nancy, loaned me a bunch of historical romance novels. WOW!
There were dukes and the feisty heroines who finally became duchesses. There were cowboys of the west with charisma no woman could resist. And of course pirates, Highlanders…the list went on and on. I loved each and every romance novel I read. I became a maniac and a slave to a good read. Today, I still love the historicals, but also read contemporary, especially the Navy Seals, Delta force, Rangers, FBI, etc., cops, and who done it, as long as they have a romance and make me laugh at the same time. And yes, I do read main stream and enjoy them too.
But I digress here and should go back to when I read Nancy’s borrowed novels. As I read those books, I reverted back to the days of Cinderella. Yet, while reading one that I was truly enjoying, I became stymied at its rushed ending. That’s right. The story, most assuredly, should have gone on for at least 20 pages or more, but the author rushed the ending to a clipped ten pages. I was left disheartened, yearning for just a few more pieces to tie it all together, and FURIOUS. I felt cheated. That’s when I said I could probably do a better job writing one myself.
Oh Lord, Lord, Lord. Little did I know. I had no background in writing, didn’t know how or where to start. I had a
LONG, a very long haul in front of me. I wrote to my favorite two authors at the time and asked how I should begin on my venture. They both said the same thing. Join RWA(Romance Writers of America). I did and my plight began. I also became a charter member of LCRW.
Over the next ten years I wrote what I thought were good reads. Boy, oh boy, how wrong can a person be. I made every mistake in the book—that’s the book on how to write a GOOD BOOK. My first novel ended at page 895. That was only one small error. The second was not knowing what the heck they meant by POV(Point of View) and not understanding what head hoping was. Oh? I had to stay in one characters POV for a duration, then change to another—and do it clearly? Well, let’s just say it has taken me a long, long time as I said before, to get to where I am now. But through determination and perseverance, some setbacks that took me away from writing from time to time, I’m here on my own web page in hopes that you’ll enjoy tagging along with me through my lengthy journey and that you’ll relish my upcoming books—and hopefully future books as well. It’s been a struggling haul, full of rejections and discouragement, but it’s been one rewarding and exhilarating ride that’s for sure. But I love writing. I need it to breathe.
Between playing in my flower gardens(I just love digging in the earth), cooking for friends, walking my wonderful dog, enjoying the lake(I live in upstate NY on one of the Finger Lakes) and its wildlife, and helping at the local Humane Society, I’m writing to my heart’s content. I continue to hone my writing skills thanks to a multitude of writing friends and authors. I live with my husband Kent, my very own hero, and rescued dog, Jamie, and jump at any chance to see my son, daughter-in-law, and two fantastic and amazing granddaughters as often as I can. And I wonder if there’s anything any better than reading and writing Romance novels.
I’d love to hear from you, so please visit me beverlywellsauthor@gmail.com or facebook Beverly Wells Author and stay in touch with my web site for the upcoming date of Only When the Loon Sings. Thanks for joining me.
Always,
Bev
