Embracing the Uncomfortable
Well, here we go. My first blog post. Yikes. Who would have thought I would ever be here? Writing on the internet about myself, my hopes, my thoughts, my writings. Actually, who’d have thought I ever would have published two books with the third due out next year and plenty ideas for more? That’s the interesting, terrifying, and fun thing about life—you truly never know what is right around the corner.
Since it is my first post, I should probably tell you a bit about myself beyond what you have seen on this page or in my bio on my books. The epithet on my homepage is correct. I am a teacher and an author. I’ve been teaching since 1995 (yes, I’m old) and a published author since 2024, but I’ve been writing and creating for as long as I can remember. Writing stories, really bad poems, memories, ideas. I have journals all through my desk at home with half-started ideas, outlines for new ideas, fully completed stories, and random horrid poems that I wrote when I was trying to channel my inner Emily Dickinson. Apparently, I don’t have one of those.
I’m an introvert who loves my space and recharges with a good book or writing journal, a glass of wine or cup of tea (depending on the time of day) sitting in a quiet place I’ve found for myself. I prefer that solitude to crowds and the overwhelming stress of the public, especially when I need to make a good impression or carry on a conversation with someone I don’t know. I’ve heard most authors are introverts, so I guess I’m in really good company. Strangely, my jobs in life have not been for those who don’t like to be social. I mean, I’m in a classroom for seven and a half hours a day with a large group of ever-changing teenagers or walking through halls filled with people during class changes. I’m always with people and many of those people sit in front of me, eyes staring me down, asking questions, answering mine, interacting with me nonstop, especially since Tennessee banned cell phones in the classroom. My middle school and high school selves would never believe I chose this job. I mean, I spent my entire life hiding in the background hoping no one would notice me and force me to interact. Teaching was not an idea for me, but ever since I stumbled upon this career and ended up in a classroom, I have loved it. And it doesn’t hurt that my students are pretty amazing in their own right.
Now, I’ve added author to my resume and it has been daunting. The things I never realized—the social media requirements, the interviews, the book signings. There’s so much more than just writing the words. One of my interviews is linked on this website and you’re welcome to watch it. It was with Daytime TriCities, who also interviewed me when my first book came out. Now that interview, I hope, has disappeared into a digital black hole. It was my first interview ever and I was so nervous I actually cried at one point. I left the studio and got to my car and couldn’t remember one thing I had said during the interview. I think I’ve gotten a little bit better since then. I, at least, feel more comfortable.
Maybe that’s the point of this post—embracing the uncomfortable, instead of always playing it safe. Safety is good, but stepping out of your comfort zone periodically can bring you experiences you never could have imagined.