Hi Readers,
It was suggested to me that you might like some information about me that my characters didn’t cover in their interviews. So here is my life in a nutshell:
I was born in the Oklahoma Panhandle back in the dark ages, and my earliest memories are of listening to or imagining stories. Mother was a single, divorced parent back when such a status raised eyebrows. She was an actress, a story-teller and a writer who lived in Beaver, Oklahoma. Later, in order to earn a living, she taught school. When I was very young she couldn’t find a teaching job, so we lived on government commodities; forerunner to food stamps, and what she could earn as a speaker and private drama teacher.
Mother could concoct a story about any subject, and she told my sister, brother and me, an exciting tale each night. She also read books from the library to us. I don’t remember having any toys, and entertained myself during the day by telling stories to myself. In these tales I starred as the heroine, of course, and was usually a princess. Because of Mother’s artistic temperament, we moved around a lot. (Translation: her teaching contract was often not renewed.) This may sound hard, and sometimes it was, but life was also exciting, adventurous and fun. Although we were usually cash-strapped, we never considered ourselves ‘poor.’
I started college at 16 and was married by 18. (What can I say? My brain hadn’t stopped growing by that time, at least according to Dr. Phil.)
At the University of Oklahoma I studied journalism. For the next 30 odd years I laid aside my own dreams to become a wife and the mother of three children. I also worked full time as an accountant and was too busy to write for a very long time.
I started writing again when I found myself suddenly single. (I was happily married…guess he wasn’t.) My first published novella, FLIRTING AT FIFTY, is a humorous account of my divorce. (The divorce wasn’t very funny, but who wants to read about that?) This tale was included in an anthology titled CHIK~LIT FOR FOXY HENS, stories for women of a certain age.
My cozy mystery THE INCONVENIENT CORPSE features Grace Cassidy, who also found herself suddenly single…and broke…and friendless in a strange town. I always have fun writing my stories; I make my characters very human and show them warts and all. Grace gets through life by making lemonade from the lemons that come her way.
All of my books are available in trade paperback at book stores everywhere. They're also on Amazon Kindle or B&N Nook for $2.99 each.
I'm glad you started writing, Jackie, because I love your Grace Cassidy series!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jean. I appreciate your comment.
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ReplyDeleteTerrific beginning for your terrific fiction writing, Jackie, and I can understand your warm memories. My mother also told stories, making them up as she went, I suspect. I was too young to write them down and, when I asked later, she said she didn't remember them. I attribute my interest in my own story telling and my active imagination throughout my life to this and other childhood experiences. How blessed we are!
ReplyDeleteHi Radine, Thanks to stopping by. I'm not surprised to learn that we share a childhood filled with stories. One of my favorites was "The House Without Any Windows or Doors." It was never the same story, only the same house.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Jackie