Rhonda McKey
I love to read. That’s where it all started. Well more accurately it all started with a junior high summer reading list. Mandatory reading? Yes! I think I always liked to read, I just don’t think I was reading the right stuff. I even let my mom pick the books for my required reading. But, she picked good! I was addicted after that. I read entire series I had a sample of on that list. I started reading certain authors because of the required reading and the list goes on. English was always my favorite subject and when my high school English teacher would give us essay assignments I would get all fired up about the subject and write. Life happened, as they say and fifteen years, a husband, and a daughter later I figured out the story that had been playing over and over in my mind for a year or more needed to be written. I started out writing and figured even if it was just for me it was something I would enjoy. I wrote it, it turned into a full manuscript. I literally looked around and found out about RWA. I also fell into sync with the best damn group of online writing friends on the planet. I joined the local chapter of RWA, Heartla and the rest is history. Well not so fast. I’m not quite there yet. After spending about two year and countless hours writing I had a few request and things were trucking along pretty god. Life happens, happened again. I took a three plus year break for a few good reasons (one I lovely refer to as our youngest <g>).
Summer of 2007 I knew it was time to re-enter the writing world. I have never completely left it. I had my friends, both online and local. I had watched them and their writing careers grow. I shot out a challenge on our local loop, and did the exercise myself. It was just a scene, but that scene turned into a completed novella. And that scene was a finalist in the 2007 BRAVA Novella contest. Between the summer and finding out I was a finalist life happened again, I lost my dad. But even with everything going on in my personal world, the writing world kept calling my name. I squeezed in writing time, telling my family how it relaxes me (and it normally does!). The news of being a finalist is what propelled me to get back on track! I finished the manuscript and submitted it in January 2008. Then and there I decided that 2008 was going to be my year of determination. And so far, so good. We shall see what the future brings!