Judi Fennell Guest Blog
I always knew I wanted to be a writer. Well, maybe not knew that I could do it full time as a chosen career, but I was always coming up with stories. I still have the first story I wrote in first grade. It's on wide-spaced yellow paper, with the upper 2/3 left blank for the illustrations. The story is about a raindrop and someday I'll have to pull it out of my scrapbook and scan it for my blog. In second grade I wrote a story about a bunny named Cotton, and how she was different from the rest of the bunnies, who made fun of her. “Cotton, the Lonely Rabbit” won me an Honorable Mention in the Caldecott Award contest. I don't remember much writing in 3rd grade, though I'm sure there was some, but I definitely remember fourth grade - I still have my journal. It's there where you'll find my paranormal stories (well,
more paranormal than talking raindrops and lonely bunnies). Mr. Magickal, a fez-wearing old guy with gray/green skin, makes his debut, as does my sewer-dwelling, zebra-striped alligator.
I don't remember much about my writing after that, but I do know I was a voracious reader around this time, and I discovered Harlequin Romances, which I then proceeded to devour from our local library. Anne Mather was always a must-read. Anne Stuart. Nora Roberts. Miranda Jarrett. Charlotte Dillon.
In 9th grade, a friend, who was just as voracious a reader, and I challenged each other to write a romance. I don't know if she ever finished hers, but I did. All 73 typerwriter-typed double-spaced pages (which I still have). I enjoyed writing it and did visit the possibility of becoming a writer while in college. But practicality and reality took over (as well as a complete lack of knowledge about the industry). I mean, really. How did I think I could ever become a published author? Those women I'd read were wonderful authors. They must know the Ultimate Secret to becoming published. Who did I think I was?
Then there was the job and the wedding and the kids, and, well, life got in the way. But it was always there in the back of my mind every time I picked up a book.
Around the time my youngest went to kindergarten I had two revelations, all on account of waking up one morning and wondering "What room should I clean today?" OMG, I was horrified. Is that what my life had come down to? Picking a room to clean? I needed to get a job. And I needed to give writing a shot. So, I got a part-time day job (let it be noted that I was already working a part-time night job and had been for five years) and I started writing. One would think you'd want to do one OR the other, but I, unfortunately, didn't figure that out.
LOL.
I wrote my first story, a time travel, and then didn't know what to do with it. My husband found my local chapter of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) for me, since, as he said, "if you're going to do this, you're going to do something with it." He's always believed in me, and, honestly, I can't even begin to describe how much that faith in me has helped me get to where I am today.
So, off I went to my very first RWA meeting and have been going ever since. I think in my 5+ years with RWA, I've missed maybe three chapter meetings. I love going to a place where other people hear voices in their head--and answer back by putting them on paper. I love talking writing and the business of writing. I'm so glad that the cosmos have all aligned to allow me to follow my passion, and I thank God every day for the faith and support my husband and kids have in me. I no longer wonder what room I should clean (the thought is more, "Clean? What's that?" LOL), we eat a lot of pizza, and their mixed-up minds think having their mom spend hours in front of a computer conversing with fish and making comforters go on magic carpet rides is normal. Poor things.
The thing is, I never considered that I had a "road to publication." I never set out to actually become a writer (see the paragraph about "who did I think I was"). It wasn't until I started doing blogs for the first book and started getting asked about it, that I realized there was a road. It kind of meandered a bit. Went off on tangents for a while, but eventually I found myself walking down that path. Having no clue I was doing so, but still, there I was.
And now, here I am. I wish a wonderful road for everyone out there who's striving toward publication and would love to hear your stories.
And if you want to take an actual journey, stop by my website, www.JudiFennell.com where you can register to win one of two remaining romantic beach getaway weekends at either the Atlantis Inn in Ocean City, NJ (www.AtlantisInn.com), where Wild Blue Under takes place, or at the Hibiscus House in West Palm Beach, FL (www.HibiscusHouse.com) where Catch of a Lifetime, the third book in the series, takes place. Bon voyage!
WILD BLUE UNDER—book 2 in the Mer Series—in stores now!
The underwater kingdom is his as soon as he claims his queen…Rod Tritone has the looks and charm to snag any queen he wants for his Mer kingdom, but unfortunately, it's not up to him. As fate would have it, the one woman destined to rule with him is terrified of water…
She lives in land-locked Kansas and has no idea she's a princess…Valerie Dumere thinks Rod is gorgeous and irresistible—but why does he keep insisting she has another side to herself that only he can show her?
Somehow, Rod has to prove to her who she really is. But when she finds out the truth, will she ever forgive him?
About the Author
Judi Fennell is an award-winning author. Her romance novels have been finalists in Gather.com's First Chapters and First Chapters Romance contests, as well as the third American Title contest. She spends family vacations at the Jersey Shore, the setting for some of her paranormal romance series. She lives in suburban Philadelphia, PA.
