On Writing and Teaching and Writing Again

On Writing and Teaching...

And Writing Again

My second grade teacher liked a story I wrote. She submitted it to the school newspaper and it was published. It was kind of a big deal since our school hosted grades kindergarten through grade eight. (And no…I am not talking about a one-room school!)

 

In twelfth grade, we had a substitute teacher for the second half of the year while our regular English teacher was on maternity leave. The woman replacing her (and yes, I wish I could remember her name) was not only a teacher but also a published author. Her first assignment was something along the lines of a first person story to help her get to know us. 

 

“You may edit and revise these for a better grade,” she announced as she walked through the room, the graded papers in hand. I watched as many of my classmates cringed. I heard a few groans.

 

Breathing On Her Own
1st novel still going strong...

The teacher paused at my desk, put my composition down and tapped it with her finger. “You, young lady… you are a writer.”

 

With those experiences under my belt, I headed to the University of South Florida determined to be….

 

A teacher. 

 

You read that right. Those two women inspired me to be a teacher. I wanted to be that person who encouraged kids, demonstrated confidence in them, and gave them a chance to shine.

 

I taught in the public schools for nineteen and a half years during which time I worked hard to receive my advanced degrees. I then taught at the university for fourteen and a half years. I loved teaching children and I loved teaching young women and men to be teachers.

 

In 2011, my husband had a series of heart “incidents” leading to a quadruple bypass late in the year. On the follow up visit in early December, the surgeon told him, “This is hereditary. This will happen again.”

 

We decided to retire. 

 

Tom said he would golf and fish everyday. I told him I would be a writer. I was able to craft two novels before Tom died in 2014. They have done well. But I hobbled along after his death. I kept the blog going, remodeled a house, and moved. I lived oversees and taught fourth grade in Kosovo for a year. 

 

But writing? Only my blog made it through that dark time of life. I had a few “fits and starts,” but nothing great. And very little finished.

 

If you follow my blog, you know that I am now remarried to a wonderful man. Mike and I will celebrate our first anniversary in April. Mike, like Tom, is an encourager. He likes my writing. And he loves me. 

 

So yes, I am writing again. Those “fits and starts” I mentioned earlier? Three unfinished novels now have direction. Several other projects beg my attention, but they can wait. Like life…I’m taking my writing one step at a time and enjoying every minute of it.

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Libby's Cuppa Joe 
Novel #2

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