I started writing because I love to read and I love to talk. I’ve always loved a good story, which is true of almost everyone. I remember my mom reading Disney stories and the Wizard of Oz to my sisters and me and absolutely enjoying the sound of her voice as the characters and images of magic filled my head. I loved magic.
This held true when I started reading myself. I read many classic novels, but my favorite stories always held an aspect of magic. The first fantasy series I read was the Chronicles of Narnia, followed by The Hobbit then Lord of the Rings. I bought everything Lord of the Rings after that! That was 5th Grade.
Then I read every fantasy novel I could get my hands on. Funny, but I often would get books from the dumpster behind the book store. They ripped the covers off and threw them away…for me to collect. I would ride my bike to the mall with a bag and collect books, ride home, then read them.
The next book series I loved was The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson; I loved Thomas Covenant as a character and I remember the art on the cover of Lord Foul’s Bane. That color of green used for the book cover has remained in my mind ever since. The words in the book were so big for me, so I used a dictionary to look up what I didn’t know. Ever since, I’ve possessed a fascination with white gold – I want to believe white gold has magic!
Then came the Sword of Shannara.
I could not get enough of Terry Brooks’ writing. I loved his characters, my favorite character being Allanon. I loved the magic, the fights, the tragedies, everything. But there was one thing early on that frustrated me about his stories – the portrayal of magic as a narcotic that would destroy the person using it, just like a drug. I used to get so angry when the characters were afraid to use magic. It was this frustration that prompted me to write my first book.
My first published work was an excerpt written in English class as a senior in high school. It was an assignment to write a short story of the events following the end of the story The Lady or the Tiger. Mr. Henson, my teacher, authored a chapter in a book and used a portion of my story for illustration.
For years I’ve written professionally in the technology field, primarily requirements, manuals, and how-to guides for customers. I’ve written poetry and short stories and of course dabbled in social media (but learned quickly to avoid politics).
Malirou Cutorim, War for the Throne is my first novel, started in 1996. It took twenty years for me to publish it. It has gone through several rewrites and major edits through the years, until finally I knew it was ready to be released.
I suppose the answer to the question why I write is simple: I have always written and I love it. I love a good story, and I love to tell a good story.
After all, what is life if we cannot do what we love?
