Origins Blogfest

This is always such a fun topic for me. I know exactly when the dream began. My third grade teacher was fabulous. She gave the best assignments and made us think and not just sit all.. day.. long. I liked her from the beginning because way..... back.... when, I was allowed to go to school with my sister. She was three grades ahead of me, so just before I entered first grade (no kindergarten then) I went to visit her third grade classroom. Mrs. Brown. She spoke with authority, yet with kindness. She expected greatness. That's what I believed anyway. I liked her. I felt like first grade would be a breeze having a friend like her in the school. 

Anyway, by the time I got to third grade I hoped that when the rooms were assigned for the year I would get Mrs. Brown. When the word came, I was ever so happy to get back to school from summer vacation. This was it. My year to enjoy. We cooked in her class. We sang every folk song in those song books she had on her shelves. She taught us to enjoy school like never before. That was when we were given our first creative writing assignment. 

She wrote several starters on the board. I don't remember the way the rest of the class reacted. I just remember sitting there and reading each topic. When I chose mine from the list, it seemed as if a movie began in my mind. I had never experienced that before and I liked it. 

I still have that first creative writing assignment. It's called, The Curve. A bit dark for a nine year old, but fun. I have used it when speaking to kids about the writing process and how they need to believe in the things they want to do in life. 

I don't remember a time after that when I wasn't writing. 

As Alex states.....

The rest is history.