Why Indy?
Hey, look us over
Lend us your ear
We're Shenango Valley
and we're glad we're here
We did have a drill team
but not a choir that sings
And when we're around
We're sure to make things swing
We're little bit independent
In the most peculiar way
Shenango Valley's where we'll stay- ay-ay! Hey!
That little ditty made up by my Rainbow sisters when we were in high school. It returned to me when I thought about explaining why I will stay independent in my publishing. A little bit independent in the most peculiar way and I stayed in Shenango Valley.
In the early part of my publishing journey, I made arrangements to go to West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston, WV. October of 2015. I started a new job a few months before, relieving me of long term nursing, where I thought I was going to be stuck forever. As soon as I started, maybe even in the interview, I told them I had to have that Friday and weekend off. I kept reminding them, as well. The owner's wife, also, the director of the medical piece of the company, respected my writing. By 2015, I had two published novels. Nurses urge other nurses in their pursuit to break out of nursing. Of course, nursing is like the Mafia, we know too much to escape.
Three names of speakers beckoned me to this one. Homer Hickam, author of Rocket Boys, made into the movie October Sky; Jane Friedman, an expert on publishing and Neil Gaiman, the big draw for many. We overheard of a member of the committee for the festival say it was one hundred thousand dollars for Neil to come. A packed weekend of speakers, as well as the largest used book sale and vendors of authors selling their books promised an event that my husband could enjoy, also.
To sell your books there, they had one requirement. They had to be set in West Virginia. I thought, some day, I'll write that story about a fiery red head, Susie Skillman (Later Lyon) and her time with her dad at a West Virginia lumber camp. I won't say more, except this is my husband's grandmother, who was Lady of the Mountain in central Pennsylvania. I'm not inspired only by my ancestors. The story may come some day, yet. And when it does, I can sell my novels at the West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston, WV.
The first scheduled on my must hear list was Jane Friedman at one o'clock Friday. We left western Pennsylvania early Friday as I busted with anticipation. I would be with other writers, learning and absorbing and making contacts. We hardly ate as we traveled on a gorgeous fall day. We made it there shortly before her talk. David checked into the motel across the street from the convention center and I settled in the first row of the huge conference room. Pen ready for notes taken.
I loved immediately how everyone was overwhelmingly friendly. On the elevators, "Oh, howdy. Are you a writer? What do you write? Where are you from? Did ya have a good ride?" and on and on. They listened to my answers, too, with smiles.
Jane told the story of publishing. She said, "In 2011, what happened to change it all? CreateSpace. Now anyone and everyone could publish. It was a game changer." She went on to say how this was good, as well as bad. It may muddy the water, but also, a writer had control. She handed papers on all aspects of publishing and of course, her website. I still read her on LinkedIn.
I had been following Home Hickam on Facebook. I read Rocket Boys, watched the movie, October Sky and read about writing the book and making the movie at the same time. This is how I found out about this festival and knew I wanted to hear him. His writing journey inspired me. How he had to find his voice for writing Rocket Boys led me to writing a piece about my Aunt June that had fallen flat before. It was really my mom's story to tell and in my piece, I had her telling it to my daughter. Anyways, I really wanted to meet Homer and he was here to promote his latest book, Bringing Albert Home.
Saturday morning, I hardly wanted to eat breakfast. I had to be in the front row for Homer's talk at ten am. I noticed a good number of high school students, here on their day off. Rocket Boys is required reading for West Virginia sophomore students. They carried their copies with hope in their eyes about meeting the author.
Homer eyed them as well. Before his talk, he apologized, "My publisher in my contract said I can only sign the book they published, that I sell today. So, I'm sorry, I can't sign your copies you brought here."
With my note book opened, I wrote to my husband for him to see, "That is why I will always be independent. I could never say no to a kid."
David read it and nodded. He probably still thought this was a stage I was going through. I was never going to be successful, but as long as I was having fun, that was the important part of all this.
I believe I must enjoy writing. It will show. I also know, I can't stop learning. I am always honing my craft. I only want to put out quality. I know I make mistakes but I give it my best.
At times, it has been hard with my nursing career. I'm sure that is one reason it didn't happen until my youngest was in high school and my husband worked out of town. I'm hoping this school schedule will work better this coming year. Last year proved to be a big adjustment and I had to find myself again. Aren't we always finding ourselves, especially when you want to be independent in the most peculiar way?
