I've been writing since the first grade. The first story that I recall writing was a short story called "The Lost Dog," a story about a dog a boy loses but later finds behind a Dominick's grocery store. Writing has always allowed me to escape reality and take me to different worlds.
It's allowed me to ask the question, "What if?" In elementary school I wrote a short story about my Legos coming to life. What if Legos came to life? I wrote a story in fifth grade about scientists discovering a tenth planet, but finding out that the aliens on that planet were studying them. What if there was another planet in our solar system, but life was on it? I'd see things in the everyday that I thought blurred lines between fiction and non-fiction.
When I was a kid growing up, my friend and I started to build a treehouse in his backyard. We had these grandiose plans for it, but it ended up just being two slabs of 2x4's we found and then we draped a blanket over them. I added a story about it in my latest book that's being copy edited. The idea of kids being kids and creating this world for themself fits in this real and fictional world.
I write for me, but also for others. I love it when others take time to read my stuff and give me feedback on what they think about it. I like having an audience. I want to share my word with others. I've written all kinds of stuff - poetry, non-fiction, inspirational messages, fiction, etc., but I felt that in each piece I've written what I had to say was important to share with others.
People share their gifts in this world in various ways. Some people are more left-brained, and contribute to the world their gifts of math and science skills. They may go on to become teachers, doctors, or engineers. But everyone has a skill of some sort they can contribute to this world, even if they haven't found it, or if they don't have the confidence in themselves to share it.
I knew from a young age that writing was what I wanted to keep doing. My dream is to get one of my books published by a traditional publishing house and put into book stores. But even if that doesn't happen, I know I will try to make it happen. I can't stop the flow of ideas in my head. I can't stop asking, "What if?" And even on days when my writing well runs dry, I know that I just have to find something to write about and it will come pouring out once more.