When I was 13 years old, I had a friend named Steven. We used to walk home together after school and debate all the issues of our young lifers and potential futures. One day I checked out of book from the school library. Steven knew me too well. He threw down a gauntlet I couldn't refuse by saying, "Why'd you check that out? You'll never read the whole thing." Man was I pissed off! I went home and read the entire book that night. The book was The Red Planet; I can't remember the author's name, but I've been hooked on SciFi since I read it. Thanks, Steven!
Variety, of course, it the spice of life! So during those teen years I added dog stories to my list of reading materials, which naturally included White Fang, Silver Chief, Big Red, just to name a few. As a young adult, I read those intangible books between fact and fiction, which tried to explain the Bermuda Triangle and alien abductions. I even added romantic novels to my reading for fun list. But always...always...I am drawn back to science fiction that is well-written. I think that SciFi has gotten a bad reputation because many people see it through the eyes a a B-grade movie. But good science fiction is so much more!
Science Fiction has been with me through the sometimes overlapping experiences of art school, a stint in the Air Force, eight years of marriage, five years of college, 13 years of teaching, even more years as a mother and all the trials of divorce, unemployment and anger, in between. So when I turned more of my attention to writing, well, you can guess what favorite floated to the top.
As I sit on the precipice of completing my first full-length novel after numerous times editing, I keep coming back to the basic question: Is it good? Will people want to read it? How can I improve my writing to capture an audience...and dare I say it, a following? That is what prompted this blog. It is not only for myself, but for other writers who may be asking themselves the same questions. Let's make it better than the first draft we wrote. Let's touch the audience with meaning, or wit, or tears, or laughter.
I may be write or I may be wrong about science fiction. You be the judge. After all, you're my audience, too!
C.Lynn
