Thursday, February 11, 2010

Why Do I Write by Angela Kay Austin

I still have my very first pink and white diary. I don’t remember what age I was when I got it, but I remember the feeling. I can’t explain it in any other way than to say…relief.

I don’t know if that makes since, so, let me try to explain.

Like so many other African-Americans born in the seventies. I was bused from my urban neighborhood to attend school in neighborhoods that were different from mine in every way: economically, racially, and at times culturally. And, even though you were in such foreign surroundings, no one told you how to ‘fit in’. So, I didn’t. Don’t worry; I had friends, but not many. It’s weird how that also affected my life in my neighborhood. I didn’t get to hang out in the lunchroom with the kids from my neighborhood because we weren’t in the same place. It’s kind of like going to work every day for years with the same people, and then you change jobs. How do those ‘work’ friendships fair? Well, it was the same for me. So, books became my best friends. Back then, Reading is Fundamental was incredibly strong in schools. One day, I came across Judy Blume’s, Are You There God It’s Me, Margaret? Could I have picked a more appropriate book? Aside from a crazy connection with Margaret, I connected with Judy Blume. I wanted to write!

I took that little pink and white diary, and I wrote everything I could. I didn’t know what to do with it, but I wrote. In my mom’s magazines, I saw stuff about contests and short stories. So, I entered. Nothing happened. So, I asked her for my own magazines. I entered their contests. Nothing happened. Over the past twenty years, I’ve written and submitted. February 11th, 2010, my first novella—Love’s Chance—will be released by Red Rose Publishing.

So, when I say relief, I don’t know how else to explain finding your calling. Even if Love’s Chance wasn’t being released, I’d still be writing and submitting. No matter what, I’d still write: poetry, women’s fiction, romance, and more.

So, it’s funny, as I type this, the other half of my brain is working on a scene from a manuscript I’m working on. I can’t turn it off. No, not voices in my head…well, maybe a few. I don’t think I could stop writing even if I were forced. Writing allows me to cry, laugh, explore, share, and so much more. Free therapy, who could ask for more!


Bio: I am an author of contemporary romance novels. My books feature strong African-American women whose love can not be bound by race, bank accounts, age, religion or gender.

Additionally, I write for www.eHOW.com, and www.Examiner.com/dc. My first novella, Love’s Chance, will be released in 2010 by Red Rose Publishing.

Website


Book blurb: To pay back her parents and prevent the loss of their family business, Sinclair Mosley leaves her family and friends behind. Pennsylvania doesn’t welcome her with open arms, but Chance O’Malley does. At the risk of losing everything that brought her to Pennsylvania, including her family’s restaurant, Sinclair must decide if she’s willing to take a chance on love.

7 comments:

Kaye Manro said...

Congrats Angela! This is a wonderful insight into you. Good luck with Love's Chance. And may you have many published books in your future!

J.A. Saare / Aline Hunter said...

Popping over from the marvelous Kaye Manro's blog! Congrats on your new release. Wishing you all the best!

Jaime

Danica Avet said...

Angela, congrats on your release! I'm glad you've begun to realize your dream! You hit the nail on the head. Writing is very theraputic, and I think all authors (and aspiring authors) feel the same.

Angela said...

Thanks for dropping by, Kaye. As writers, I think we all leave a little bit of ourselves on the page. We've got to dig into our own emotions in order to bring characters to life.

Angela said...

J.A., thank you for posting. And, yes, Kaye is fabulous!

Angela said...

Danica, thank you for your support. I think we see things similarly. I believe anyone that wants to tell any type of story: music, poetry, or novels, has to be able to strip away everything, and put it all on the page.

Angela said...

Honoria, thank you again for letting me drop by, and share my thoughts with your readers!