It started out as a homework assignment to write an eight page short story with a focus on visual and descriptive sensory imagery. Eight pages, because I was in the eighth grade. Around page 6, I realized at the rate I was stringing my pulchritudinous purple prose together, it would be at least another hundred pages before I could get around to telling the end of my “short story”.
One page at a time. Since that’s all the clip art publishing program (think: Microsoft Publisher) would allow me to write before making me create a new poster. 132 pages, 6 months, and 2 Hewlett-Packard ink cartridges later, my first novel was finished. Now all that my 60,000 word “children’s book” needed was illustrations!
So, the next Sunday, I brought out my colored pencils during church and began sketching. After the meeting, a woman wearing a purple cloak came and sat next to me, curious to see the drawing I’d been working on. I showed her my artwork *cough* chicken scratches *cough* of my main character—a fairy in a purple dress. When she asked what it was for, I explained I’d written a book and was illustrating it. I held up the 2” binder with each of my precious pages carefully preserved in clear sheet protectors—my magnum opus.
If any doubt the existence of God, I testify: He is real, and He put a woman who is a published author for children’s books, a lover of fairies and the color purple, directly in the pew behind me. Because she saw potential in my book and put the crazy idea into my head that I could get it published, I haven’t stopped writing.
Just like fairies and the one literary agent who’s going to fall in love with your book—how can you ever expect to see one, if you don’t believe they exist?
No comments:
Post a Comment