Writing a novel is something I’ve wanted to do all my life . . .

I began my first novel when I was in my 30’s. I was trying to recover from a nasty divorce – something that I never expected when I married – and I found it therapeutic to pour my disappointment, fear, and feelings of failure into my story. But, of course, it wasn’t something I really wanted to share with others (at least I didn’t at the time), so after a few chapters, I put it away in a box.

But I never forgot how it felt to be writing a story. It was a good feeling. After my daughter finished her first novel, she began pushing me a little harder to write. She challenged me to participate in the annual NaNoWriMo! For those of you who haven’t heard of it, it stands for National Novel Writing Month.

We both signed up, and we both finished. By the end of November, I had written over 50,000 words of an Amish Fiction novel. Then life – and my job – got in the way, and once again, I put my work away. Until now.

Next year I will reach a milestone . . . 60 years. While that might not sound old to a few of you, it is 10 long years past my goal.

You see, after losing my mother when I was 18, I was determined to live past the age my mom was when she died (50 years old). Only one of my two sisters has made it past; my sister Linda died 2 years before she reached my goal . . . she was 48 when she died.

Which brings me back to my writing . . . my next goal is to be published when I’m 60 years old. Which means I need to pull out my novel, do some serious editing, and complete a proposal. I have chosen my 1st choice for an agent.

Now I just need to work hard and make it happen.

I’d love for you to come along for the ride . . .

Let’s go!

Naomi

 

Blog © 2016 Naomi Miller