We start with the “As a child” tales…

I am for all intents and purposes, an awkward individual. I don’t mean to be, but I tend to easily fall into that category in most social situations.

I’ve been wanting to write ever since I was 10 – I remember I got into this fancy writing class through being home schooled that was being taught by an author in Wellington, New Zealand. Of course, being heavily autistic and in the biggest shutdown phase of my lifelong battle with depression yet, I didn’t do too fantastic in that setting, surrounded by other kids and their parents, my own mother, and a freaking legitimate author. We did a short exercise and kids asked questions after – I vaguely remember doing okay at the exercise, even if I went mute. Beautiful thing about writing is that I can let my brain and my hand on a pencil and paper do the talking for me. Or a keyboard, but in a less cringy way. At least I try not to be absolutely cringe. But back then, I was the pinnacle of anxiety. Thankfully, the author leading that workshop was an understanding woman who didn’t take my being mute as being a brat.

I’m 24 now as I write this, and after dipping my feet in the waters of animal healthcare, retail, the food service industry and call center jobs, I’ve got myself into the ideal workspace where I can actively work towards my lifelong goal of self-publishing.

I gotta do it for kid me, who was too anxious to speak in front of people she didn’t know. For teenage me, who got told by a teacher that the likelihood of me being a writer one day was very low and how I should maybe consider sports instead. I’m doing this for them, and for present-day me. Exploring topics that I resonate with, have had first hand experience with… I enjoy delving into those deeply. I find it cathartic handling those topics through the lenses of my characters. So let there be writing, constant vigilance, and copious amounts of listening to Mario Kart music on a loop to push me towards hitting those goals!