Guest Blogger: Anna Jones
Author Anna Jones has graciously agreed to fill in for Kerry today while Kerry is occupied with family matters. Let's give a big Frog Blog welcome to Anna!
When I was a little girl, if anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up I would say “An Authoress”. My mother had told me that’s what lady writers were called. My life’s ambition was to get a novel published, and in 2000 I did. (This left me in need of a new life’s ambition, and I selected “Finish painting the bathroom”. As yet I have not achieved this.)
I thought writing one book would be enough, but then I found I yearned to write another. So I did. And then other ideas for novels came along, so I wrote those too. I had always assumed that if you have had one book published, or even two, as I had, then you could pretty much write anything and “they” would publish it. Not so – my next three efforts were all rejected, leaving me feeling a bit of a fraud as a writer. My books are out of print, but if you scour eBay and Amazon for long enough you might find one.
The wisdom of my childhood career plan is now extremely clear to me. What better life could there be than sitting at home watching plotlines develop under your fingertips, bringing life to characters and being master of their destiny. Not only that, but you bring entertainment and pleasure to lots of good people and some of them, if you’re very lucky, write to tell you so. It still thrills me that I have an email folder called “Fan Mail”. (I once had an email from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and this required my creating a folder called “Prophets and Apostles”. That thrills me too.)
Oh yes, and you get paid a bit. That’s quite nice too. Although I worked out that if I’m to give up my day job (trying to persuade British lawyers that drinking three bottles of wine a day is a bad idea) then I would need to write five books a year in order to make enough money to live on. Given my current track record of one book for every nineteen years of my life, I think I have some ground to make up. But I still want to be an Authoress when I grow up.
A native of Essex, Anna Jones wrote her two best-selling books, Haven and A World Away while living in Wales. She is currently living a fairy tale romance, raising three beautiful daughters, and working on a new suspense novel for Covenant.
When I was a little girl, if anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up I would say “An Authoress”. My mother had told me that’s what lady writers were called. My life’s ambition was to get a novel published, and in 2000 I did. (This left me in need of a new life’s ambition, and I selected “Finish painting the bathroom”. As yet I have not achieved this.)
I thought writing one book would be enough, but then I found I yearned to write another. So I did. And then other ideas for novels came along, so I wrote those too. I had always assumed that if you have had one book published, or even two, as I had, then you could pretty much write anything and “they” would publish it. Not so – my next three efforts were all rejected, leaving me feeling a bit of a fraud as a writer. My books are out of print, but if you scour eBay and Amazon for long enough you might find one.
The wisdom of my childhood career plan is now extremely clear to me. What better life could there be than sitting at home watching plotlines develop under your fingertips, bringing life to characters and being master of their destiny. Not only that, but you bring entertainment and pleasure to lots of good people and some of them, if you’re very lucky, write to tell you so. It still thrills me that I have an email folder called “Fan Mail”. (I once had an email from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and this required my creating a folder called “Prophets and Apostles”. That thrills me too.)
Oh yes, and you get paid a bit. That’s quite nice too. Although I worked out that if I’m to give up my day job (trying to persuade British lawyers that drinking three bottles of wine a day is a bad idea) then I would need to write five books a year in order to make enough money to live on. Given my current track record of one book for every nineteen years of my life, I think I have some ground to make up. But I still want to be an Authoress when I grow up.
A native of Essex, Anna Jones wrote her two best-selling books, Haven and A World Away while living in Wales. She is currently living a fairy tale romance, raising three beautiful daughters, and working on a new suspense novel for Covenant.
Stephanie Black — 6/29/2007 08:23:00 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Great blog, Anna. I enjoyed your first two novels and I'm looking forward to your next one.
Congratulations, Anna, on being able to look at life as a time to still "grow up"--to keep setting and working on goals and to adventure! That is what will keep you writing, submitting, and succeeding.
One interesting thing that happens when you've had a break from writing is that you come back with more real life experience--hopefully more knowledge and wisdom--and you feel like you can sneak a few more tidbits of truth into your writing. I'm sure with your work experience you have plenty to share and I'm looking forward to seeing your new novel.
Anna, like Jennie, I loved your first two novels, and I'm eagerly waiting for the next.
Excellent blog. =)And I, too, have a bathroom to finish painting. Perhaps later this summer when life slows down. It will, right? And then I catch up on things like pretending I write. =D
Incidentally, whenever my mother asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I asked her if I really had to. She's still waiting.
I love Anna Jones!! Hello, Anna Jones!!
Thanks for your guest blog, and I'm excited to hear about your new book. I loved your first two.
Ooh, I want an e-mail folder entitled "Prophets and Apostles"!
Great blog, Anna. Thank you for your insights! You inspire me.
Hello Anna! I read your book and loved it. Wales is where I was born, though I grew up in England. We often went to Anglesey and North Wales for holidays. Took our own children there, too.
Good luck with the new book. You ARE an authoress :-)
It dawned on me one day that anyone who dearms of making a living telling stories will probably never grow up. Other tham major league sports stars or dancers, how many people get paid to do what kids do naturally?
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