The writers of the medieval world were called ‘the makars’, which means ‘the makers’. That job description fits me to a T…or should I say M?

I began my writing career in early childhood, not with words, but with my hands. Since I was too young to write my made-up worlds on paper, I built them instead. I spent many hours and days constructing cardboard doll houses with detailed furniture and appliances.

Then I learned to write. I began to make books. This was nothing unusual in our family of eight homeschooled siblings. My mom would staple a few pages of paper into colored construction paper covers, and we all made books, with lots of illustrations. I still remember one titled A Vacation in Turkey. It included a golden toilet. I was seven. I complemented my books with polymer clay action figures and volumes of costume design. I remain a compulsive artist to this day.

Once I was equipped with the power of words, I began to build stories from the materials I found in my own world: My large family; the love of neighbor taught by our Byzantine Catholic Faith; the towering evergreen forests behind our house; my antlered neighbors who steal the apples in our yard; the black and white TV shows I watch with my siblings, with their stalwart heroes;  karate, knife throwing and archery lessons (not necessarily taken by me); and many other things.

J.R.R Tolkien and C.S. Lewis are my family’s favorite authors. My mom read them to us multiple times. Then, we read them by ourselves. The Tolkien universe and the wonderful stories of Lewis intersected with our family life and brought on the inspiration for my creative career in literature. They are, and probably will continue to be, the authors that I am trying to live up to in my writing.

Come and watch me as I write. I hope you will enjoy your visit. Find out more about my writing life on my blog Green Forest Chronicle.