Friday, January 13, 2017

Pulled in a Different Direction


In 2010, or there about, I had two stories I was developing plots for, and writing, a historical romance and a contemporary romantic suspense. Working a full time job with a round trip commute of two to three hours a day left me too tired at the end of the work day to write. So my writing time was on the weekends.

This made for slow going for me, anyway. My husband was working out of town and only home on the weekends, so that was our honey time.

During this same time frame I started posting once a month on this blog and every couple months on the free short story blog Judith Ashley and Sarah Raplee used to run.

I found I enjoyed writing short stories. They were really short stories of 1,200 to 2,000 words each.

Feeling quite depressed one day, I complained to Sarah about the slow progress I was making with my historical and suspense stories.
She had an idea!


Judith and Sarah had been discussing self-publishing an anthology of short stories. Sarah asked me if I would be interested in writing two short stories to be included in the anthology. I said, “Hot, doggie! Sure I would.”

I knocked out two short paranormal stories, around 20,000 words each. And guess what I discovered? I enjoyed writing paranormal romance! My two stories, “Ghost of a Chance” and “The Crystal Witch” were fun to write. 

Along the way, I learned a lot about editing (hired an editor), choosing art for a book cover and working with a designer, I learned how to use Jutoh a publishing program, and create space for print books, and marketing etc.  And at the end of the learning curve was our anthology, "Love & Magick".  

It has been one great learning experience. Not at all the road I thought I was traveling on.

I now have a spin off novella, “The Witch with the TridentTattoo”, featuring one of the characters from “The Crystal Witch”.

I never would have guessed my first published book would be an anthology. But that’s the path I landed on.

The historical romance and romantic suspense I was working on? They are filed in a doc on my computer. Someday I’ll get back to work on them. Right now I’m having too much fun writing the “Twilight Witch”, the next story in the Coastal Coven series.


Have you started down one path, only to find you end up on another path
altogether?

9 comments:

Z. Minor said...

Great story and I wish you would get your next door done so I can read. Happy writing dear friend.

Lynn Lovegreen said...

Funny how we can start on one path and find the detour much more interesting. Good for you for following your heart and finding a new genre! :-)

Barb said...

I certainly have and I am liking it a lot.

Diana McCollum said...

Thanks Louise, for stopping by!

Diana McCollum said...

Hi, Lynn and Barb! Glad you stopped by.

Judith Ashley said...

Diana, I'm always fascinated at how we get from there to here. I started out writing 'self-help-type' books but then I started having vivid day and night dreams that compelled me to start The Sacred Women's Circle series. Now that the original series is finished (WOOT!!!), I've other related books nudging my brain. That self-help book is certainly still there to be written. "Love, Power, Fun, Freedom: How To Get More" has been scanned into my computer but it needs A Lot Of Work so it sits there while I have fun with my stories.

Marcia King-Gamble said...

So very cool how you discovered your true calling!

Sarah Raplee said...

I am so glad you and Judith and I wrote and published Love and Magick! Your paranormal stories are wonderful, Sister. I knew you had it in you!

Pippa Jay said...

The one experience common to authors seems to be things never turn out how you expect! I hope you find time someday to finish those works.