“You can read any book I have.” Daddy had just given me permission to read his books. Now that might not seem like such a big deal to most people, but to a 13 year-old “bookworm” that was heaven. No longer did I have to wait until I could get to the local library. If I was out of something to read, I could just go to his bookshelves and choose a book. The biggest decision I faced at the moment was deciding which book to read first.
I usually read one to two books a day. I could do that as long as I kept my grades up. Daddy had only one standard–excellence. It was the standard he set for himself and he expected the same from his children. We were encouraged to follow our interests, to become who God meant for us to be. Whatever your capabilities were, he expected you to use them to the fullest extent.
So, for me that meant study, read, talk with him about what I’d read, and then read some more. I credit my father with my love for learning, reading, and now writing. I didn’t use writing as a means of expression when growing up. That seemed to be a time when I was absorbing, learning, finding out what my interests were and what I was going to do with them. The writing came much later.
For a long time I did not consider writing more than academic. But then God placed me at Randall House. For the past decade I’ve had the opportunity to develop a love for writing that did not exist before. One contributing factor has been my work as an editor. Through the editorial process I’ve read work that was publishable and then some that was destined for file #13. The technical side has progressed until I no longer consider myself a novice. Where do I go from here?
A good friend and associate encouraged me to open a blog. I knew others at work were blogging. In fact, all my editors were so it made sense for me to follow suit. Hence, Grams Writes, The Rambling Musings of a Southern Rose.
This is one of the most enjoyable pursuits I’ve embarked upon in my adult life. Through this avenue I’m developing the artistic side of writing–description, dialogue, setting, and character. I’ve not mastered it yet, but I will continue to try. Will I be successful? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Do I have a book to write? Who knows? One thing I do know, God did not give me this desire to write and not expect me to do something with it. So, again, we’ll see.
Grams
