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When I was in first grade, we had Career Day at school. We got to pick what we wanted to do for a living from cards with job descriptions on them. I chose "freelance writer" because there was no card for "person who writes stories for a living". My teacher (Mrs. Johnson, I will so call you out now) said, rather condescendingly, "That's not a real job, honey. Why don't you pick something else?" That should've prepared me for the row I had to hoe.
I never did pick anything else.
When I was ten, I read all of the Tolkien books (but not the Simarillion), so I immediately began writing my own epic fantasy. It had a mighty young warrior, a foulmouthed dwarf, and a mysterious maiden (the love interest!) who could turn into mist after dark. Sadly, this incipient work of incredible genius (written in my Garfield notebook) fell victim to parental censorship (I blame the dwarf for cussing so much).
In tenth grade, I wrote my first novel, 150 pages on an old typewriter: small-town girl meets a mysterious boy who works as the Winnie the Pooh mascot at Sears. Despite having led a boring life heretofore, our heroine saves the boy (who was on the run from the mob) numerous times. Even then, I had no sense of what was "proper" behavior for a heroine.
So if you count that novella, written when I was ten, it took me twenty-six years to scale this mountain. Is it any wonder that I get teary each time I receive cover art, or that I choke up when I discover one of my idols has actually read one of my books--and liked it? Sometimes I still can´t believe my good fortune, and I bless my glorious agent and editors for making a kid´s dream come true, a kid who never loved anything more than books. (In case you tuned in late, that kid is me, a kid whose teacher told her to pick a real job. Take that, Mrs. Johnson!)
That's the moral of this story, you know. You can do it too, if you never give up.
Ann Aguirre, 
Blue Diablo, 
fantasy, 
Penguin Books
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Yes I can
Er, I hope I can.
My first "book" was a YA about a girl who was from a witch bloodline and had been attacked by the ancient (three whole generations!) vampire enemy of her ancestors (her grandmother, who had died fighting the vampire) and been half turned. She wasn't a vampire, but wasn't human anymore and she finally went back home to find that the world had moved on without her. And that the vampire was still after her.
You know, put that way it doesn't sound that bad. Not exactly the most original story, but definitely not bad.
I wonder how people would react to the shape shifting familiar/love interest though.
It's funny how I can not
It's funny how I can not remember my first book. I have always enjoyed reading myself and I remember that one of my favorite novels as a kid was Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe and Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island (think I’ve read that one 5 or 6 times cover to cover lol).
Jules Verne was my favorite author as a child and even now, after all these years I am still happy and excited to read any of his titles.
Ann I am happy to see that you have reached your dream. I always enjoy hearing stories of success when nobody believes in you but yourself and in the end you prove them wrong. I haven’t had the privilege to read your book, but I find your little story very inspiring and I will get my hands on this book as soon as possible.
And as a final note, I hope you will send one signed copy of your book to dear Mrs. Johnson.
The Mrs. Johnsons of the
The Mrs. Johnsons of the world can suck it! Loved the post! Loved the moral and I know I'm totally gonna love Blue Diablo.
My 6th grade aptitude test
My 6th grade aptitude test indicated I'd do best as a farmer. Yay, you, for overcoming all those undoubtedly well-meaning obstacles and encouraging the rest of us to do the same. (I don't even like vegetables.)
Inspiring
Thanks, Ann! That's a very inspiring tale. I've been a voracious reader for years (although it's slacked off somewhat with the advent of the intarwebs, which take a lot of my time). I remember discovering the Tolkien books at right about 10-12 (and I could never plow through the Silmarillion either), along with as much of Heinlein's work as I'd been able to find (I finally got the rest as I got older). I have to say I'm really enjoying your books so far (to the point where I'm going to try Skin Game even though I don't read romances [yet, anyway]). I like the fact that the love scenes are actually part of the plot - not the whole plot, and not thrown in round out the plot. I also like the fact that you just just enough words to evoke the imagery in my mind, which is way sexier than just spelling it out as far as I'm concerned. I also like the fact that the science fiction (in the Jax series) and the urban realism (in the Corine series) are solid in their own right. The action seems right there in my mind, and when I've finished the book I feel like I've been treated to a movie, kinda. Plus I'm always looking forward to the next book (curse those long publishing deadlines!)
Hiya Ann! :) Wonder where
Hiya Ann! :) Wonder where Mrs. Johnson is now? You should send her a signed copy of one of your books with a comment like "Remember when you said this wasn't a real job? What do you think now" *G*
You are seriously my
You are seriously my inspiration. Hopefully one day I can scale that mountain and put a big flag on top :D
Ann's massive mountain
Ann:
it's always nice to read stories like yours because it's a reminder that an overnight success is anything but (unless you're Stephenie Meyer). I am looking forward to Blue Diablo, too; I love fantasy and such, but can't envision ever writing it. So I just read a lot of it.