I know it won't happen, but to get all the stories out of my head and published. As I write, I'll have an idea for another book, I'll place that idea in my "to do" list and that list continues to grow. I seem to have about 20+ books in different genres and at different stages. I figure I'll die and somebody will need to go through my "to do" list and finish up with whatever notes I've left.
My first Amish novel - The Secret Voice - is somewhat autobiographical. I started high school in 1961 and most of my school years are included. No, I'm not Amish, but created my lead to be such which gives the story the needed twist. Many of the incidents did, in fact, happen - black chorus teacher, trip to Ft Wayne to watch Handel's "Messiah," the approval/disapproval of the chorus teacher, the trailer, and more. The locals who have read it and are familiar with my high school recognize many of the scenes.
I read the reviews and accept them for what they are - reviews. Not everyone is going to like what I write. Glowing reviews are nice, but bad ones show me what I need to correct.
I'm a male and trying to write as a female can be daunting. Men think they know how a woman thinks. I know better but hope to "fake it" well enough that when women read it, they can empathize with my female characters.
I love telling tales, even as a young boy. Sitting around the campfire, telling tales with the Boy Scouts and then doing essays in high school. When I married, and had children (4 sons) I would tell them bedtime stories, allowing the boys to help create the characters, names, and actions. My wife told me to write them down. I feel she might be sorry about that suggestion. How long? I wrote my first short story for Children's Highlights, circa 1963... btw, it was rejected. To say I was crushed, I didn't write another story for submission until the 1980s.
