MY JOURNEY TO WRITING

I have a  Masters in Social Work. If anyone had told me, when I was in college, that I would end up being the author of a children's book, a blogger as well as a columnist for a local newspaper, I would not have believed them. 

I wanted to be a Medical Social Worker. In graduate school, I did an internship at a local children's hospital. The hospital was sharing a social worker with another children's hospital that served children with disabilities.  My supervisor hoped I would be offered the position after graduation. Sadly, I had no work experience and since the hospital wanted someone with two years of work experience, I knew I wouldn't get the job.

When it became clear to me that a position in social work would not be in my future I began volunteering in the data processing lab at the community college I had attended. Volunteering in the lab led to my developing classes in Word and Windows that I taught, on an individualized basis (part-time) through the Continuing Education Department. I retired in 2005.

While I was teaching I audited a class in creative writing. I enjoyed the class and decided I wanted to try to write a romance novel in which the heroine had a disability and used a power chair. I was having difficulty finishing the novel. It just wasn't coming together. A friend, who taught preschool, asked if I would write children's stories for her class.  I began writing my Bianca Bear stories and, in 2010, my book The Busy World of Bianca Bear was published.

I began blogging by writing a blog featuring more of my Bianca stories. A year and a half ago, I started a second blog called Confessions of a Disabled Diva which focuses on raising disability awareness.

 I have been a contributor to the West End Word online for a year now. I am very pleased that my columns will now run monthly in their print edition as well. I will continue to raise awareness regarding the issues people with disabilities face  I hope you'll want to continue on my journey with me.

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