TALENT AND TENACITY

 

I've just been emailing a fellow Celt in Scotland. I love the country as its wild ruggedness reminds me of Wales where I grew up. [Around the corner from Dylan Thomas but many years separated us.] I spent many hours as a teenager reading his poetry in Cwmdonkin Park where he wrote  “The Hunchback In The Park” and spent many other hours trying to imitate his poetic style; the results were appallingly bad.

 

You’ll be glad to know that my writing has improved a great deal since then and to prove it, my 6th novel, a crime thriller called A FATAL FACADE is being published in June. 

 

I hope you like the cover; I think it's great.

 

 

 

It’s a hard struggle to become a published writer, especially for someone who was told in school that she was slow. I was left-handed and was forced to write right-handed which really screwed up my network of neutrons so I started stammering. Fortunately, the nuns allowed me to revert to my left hand and I stopped stammering. Eventually, against all their predictions, I got three degrees and lectured in English. I know my struggles [along with the writing techniques I teach] have inspired many of my students to be published.

 

Many good writers don't continue because of the rejection. It's awful to have rejection letters. [ I have had so many I could wall-paper my bathroom with them!] But after picking myself up from the floor, I worked to improve my writing. 

 

And, as I say to my students, if I can do it, so can you.