New Beginnings

No matter how old you get, there is an opportunity for a new beginning.  I love to write but had, for a time, abandoned my blog.  I have wanted to be a writer since I was in Mrs. Crain's 4th grade class.
Being an ADD child that drove all my teachers crazy, compliments were few and far between. Since my mother was a teacher in the building, many times she knew what I had done wrong before I did.
I never seemed to be out from under a cloud until I had Mrs. Crain in 4th grade.

We were learning to write thank you notes. She came into our class, looked over the room and told us to "write".  Everyone was confused.  There were no instructions. She told us to  write about whatever came into our heads.  I started writing about the mountains. I had spent the summer in Washington State where the mountains amazed me by their magnificence and size.  Whenever we drove high into them, they were so pretty it took my breath away.  I wrote until she told us to stop.  Some people had still not written a word.

I remember across the top of my paper Mrs. Crain wrote, "Beautiful description Jan".  I was elated.  I could not believe I had done something to get such high praise.  From then on, when I finished my work, she told me to, "Just write." I began my journey.  My blog has been a continuation of that journey.

This week I had the opportunity to go to the West Texas A&M Writing Academy, started by Jodi Thomas, the author of 46 historic fiction Texas romances.  Most of the participants were published writers.  Our classes were led by successful published writers.  The group I was in had the privilege to be mentored by Rosa Latimer, author of the Historic Harvey House books.

I am so excited to have another beginning.  I hope you will continue on this journey with me.  The encouragement you have given me over the years through my blog, has given me the confidence to take this step.  My first book was WINDMILL TALES, published by the Texas Tech University Press.

I am currently working on two children books, one based on the blog post, An Old Man Named Henry and another based on the museum cat, Perkins, at the American Windmill Museum.  The big project I am currently researching is about LaMarque in the 50s and 60s.  The Last of the Tigers, class of 1970 is contributing to my research. The following pictures are some of the activities at the Writer's Academy.

Author of the Harvey House books, 

Texas New Mexico and Kansas, Rosa Latimer

West Texas A&M Writers Academy

Jodi Thomas, Author of 46 romances of          Rosa Latimer, Author
historic Texas.

Jodi Thomas, Author, Sharron, Rosa Latimer, Author, Jan, Donna and Kay

L-R Dallas,

 Bookstore owner in Canyon, Donna, Kay and Sharron