So…as most of you know, I’m a writer. And not just a writer but a published author. Lawyer Guy and I had dinner with some friends of his last weekend and I was asked if I’d always wanted to be a writer. I paused before answering. I’d wanted to be a cop (thanks Angie Dickenson and her character SGT Pepper Anderson.) I also wanted to be an Olympic equestrian. And an actress. Then came college and I was recruited by the CIA. Yeah…no. But being a bureacrat held some interest. Until it didn’t. And despite careers in the family propane business, stock market, court system, fire and police, there was one thing that remained constant: my love of making stuff up and telling stories. Thank goodness I met and married Lawyer Guy who supported that dream.

I should pause here to mention that I had a few journalism classes and caught a bit of creative writing in my high school English classes along the way. Even though I was the art editor/photographer for the newspaper and year book. 😆 I still learned all about the precepts of good journalism–asking the right questions. And you know what? Those questions are just as pertinent when you write fiction. Heck, even the Universe agrees with me.

The questions you have to answer, Silver, pertain to what, where, when, and why.

Mine pertain to how and with whom.

Fair?
The Universe
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When you know the end result, Silver, I always know the fastest way.

I figure the big U is talking about life in general and us puny humans getting through it. But to me, so much of what the U says goes hand-in-hand with writing. When I start a book, when I wend my way through the plot, characters’ backstories, twists, turns…and happy ever afters, I have to answer all those questions. Sadly, I don’t always know the fastest way. Too bad the Universe can’t ghost write for me.