When I try to describe myself, I begin to feel overwhelmed. Is this a resume? Or is it a sales pitch? Do I start from “I was born…” or do I focus on what I’m doing right now? Should I talk about me as an author or me as a person?
I think we are all a little like that – a product of our past, living segmented lives that occasionally intersect and influence each other, but able to function independently. Independence. That might just be my personal theme.
I live with my husband of nearly 30 years on our 270 acre cattle ranch in the Missouri Ozarks. The nearest Wal Mart or Dollar Hollar is a 13 mile drive. You do have to go through two gates to get to my house and cross a wet weather creek. In a situation like that, you learn to be independent. Cell phone signal and power is unreliable, neighbors are a mile away, and first responders take nearly 30 minutes to arrive after you call. You have to always be ready to handle any emergency that arises. I like it that way, it makes me feel closer to my pioneer ancestors when I’m cooking a meal completely grown or foraged from my own land. Or when I overcome my fear of blood to provide first aid for the inevitable injuries.
My husband and I met in the late 1990s in a country western dance class and have been dancing ever since. We travel as often as we can, frequently towing our little travel trailer with us. We try to fit dancing, genealogy, history and architecture into every trip. He is a (mostly) retired building contractor and can turn a pile of lumber into a beautiful home with just a few sketches on a napkin. I was always the office worker with the salary until I retired in 2023. My job titles have ranged from engineer to teacher to civil servant and those jobs provided me with a rich variety of personalities to use for my characters.
You’ll note that my background includes almost nothing about writing or publishing. I will be the first to admit that I do not know the rules of the trade. I have no connections. The harder I tried to fit the formula of a successful writer, the less comfortable I felt. Thus, my independence. I am open to more traditional publishing routes, but once I decided to be a DIY author, I was committed to the idea. I don’t want to force my writing or my strategy into some acceptable format that isn’t comfortable.
Here’s to independence!!
J. Ann Snook 