Why I Write

As a child I veered between loud and silent, bounce and flop. I was an introvert who acted like an extrovert. I had been homeschooled and then we’d moved towns. As a result of all these things I wasn’t very popular.

I had thought sporadically about Writing, usually when people said.

You always seem to have Something to Say.

I started writing because I wanted to be listened to and in my world the best way to get attention from the aunties was to recite from Hamlet or to show up at dinner with a fat book in your hand.

In the beginning there were aunties.

My aunties were dark-skinned and determined to make something of us children. We were a bit scared of them. And they approved of anyone who read.

So I read a lot, every day, everywhere I could. If I left the house without a book I felt lonely.