To Book Country, not to writing!

I've been writing since the fifth grade, and telling stories years before that. Back then my stories were about horses, cowboys and Indians, and fantasy of the Aladdin and the lamp sort since my interest in writing was inspired by the 1001 Arabian Nights tales my fifth grade teacher was reading to us each afternoon. The horse stories came about because the older sister of a friend owned a horse. Chico, mahoganay bay . . . and involved the adventures of sisters Big Marsh and Little Marsh and their friends Big Denise and Little Denise. Denise being the name of the girl who owned that gorgeous horse. Have no idea where Marsh came from. Lol!

Back then, I read whatever I could get my mitts on. Anything about horses, Native Americans, the popular kid series of the times ('50s-'60s....probably many books were written the '40s.), Wrote fan fiction in my teens, stories involving orphans getting adopted by such people as the Beatles and Sonny and Cher. Also wrote a novel about a young girl captured by Apaches. Ending was sad; no one was happy about that. I'd probably write it differently today. Wish I still had it . . . gave it to my 11th grade English teacher who moved back to Ohio during the summer vacation and that was that. I know she had an intention of helping me with it; she gave me my first copies of The Writer's Digest. But life happened and she was gone . . . 

Then my mother introduced me to Harlequin Romances . . . 

Some were great, some not so much and a few ended up on the floor in a corner of my kitchen where they stayed until I got some motivation to give them another chance. Took six months to read a book I otherwise could've read in an afternoon! My youngest sister never gave those stories a second chance. She tossed 'em in a bag and brought them to me. Told me what she thought of them and what my mom thought. Usually we disagreed heartily with my mother! But one of those stories inspired me to write a romance of my own. And here I am 40 odd years later still at it. Started writing the kids' novels after I had my boys. Have two romances on Amazon and a kids' novel, plus a recipe book that sort of links with the first romance. Sort of.  I have one print book I did with another writer. Was his notes I worked from. That experience is what made me decide to go the self publishing route.

I'm currently working on two more kids' novels, a final draft of a YA, and the third romance. Oh, and a picture book. I write the romances under Neenah Davis-Wilson and the kids' stuff under Anita M. Shaw or Neta Shaw. I am a name freak as well. Lol. Love the unique names and odd spellings of any name. Wish my mom had thought to use Aneta . . . 

My sites are all in sad need of attention and more content. Life interferes more often than I'd like, usually health issues. I'm trying to put myself on a better writing schedule for all the stuff I want/need to do. I'm terrible on promo and marketing because I am reluctant to toot my own horn. I am still trying to wrap my head around the social media stuff. I can write the book, create a cover and convert it all into PDF and Mobi, after that . . . duuuuhhhhh!!!

Okay, I've blabbed long enough. Hope my session didn't time out! Glad I found this place!

Hi Anita, pleased to meet you. I'm new here too, still finding my feet. I haven't put anything up yet for the same reason but I've been writing for a while and plan to dip my toe in soon.

 Welcome to Book Country.

Hi Tassie!

Thanks for the welcome!

How long have you been writing? What started you on the road? Lol, I don't get to talk shop much. So I'm always in search of places I can do that.

I look forward to reading your work when you finally get the courage to post it! I really enjoy writing fiction. Haven't really dabbled in anything else. Not sure of my ability to write non-fiction. Maybe someday I'll give it a shot. Maybe . . . 

Again, thanks for the welcome! Appreciate it!

--edited by Anita Marie on 10/12/2015, 8:53 PM--