It Wasn't Easy......

"What wasn't easy?" you ask.......

"Writing that first book," I respond.....

I am one of those folks who probably has "Adult onset ADD"........in other words, I just can't seem to remain focused. I begin researching something online, and I will see something interesting that leads me in another direction. Before I know it, the ADD has kicked in and I don't even remember what it was I was supposed to be doing.

However, my first book was the inspiration and suggestion and at the invitation of Mary Cooke, to write with her.  Mary writes as Mary Lou Cheatham and has written 14 books. Many of her books are in the Covington Chronicles series, and she also has a Cookbook in her list of books.

Mary Lou had read some of the articles in my 'From the Front Porch' blog as well as some of my "outbursts" on my personal Facebook page. What Mary Lou didn't know (until I told her) was that her mother, Myrtle, had assisted the doctor as the Midwife, when I was born!

Mary Lou has such a great imagination (one of the facets of which I'm lacking.) She had decided to write a book about Gypsies who moved into the area where I now live. 'Travelers in Painted Wagons on Cohay Creek' was born in Mary Lou's head and it grew between us.

It isn't always easy writing what someone else imagines. My experience with Mary Lou made me realize what a tough job the Ghostwriters who write with and for James Patterson must have. Does he have the idea.....they do the research.....and write the the story, or does he have the idea, they do the research, and he tells them what the story should be?

Often, Mary Lou would suggest what she wanted - I would research - write my thoughts, and she would either rewrite what I had written or incorporate it into what she was writing.

Of course, it also didn't help that my urge to write might not coincide with Mary Lou's. Nor did I realize, until I wrote my own book, all the hard work she had to put into "our" book.

I had no idea how much work she was having to do to get the manuscript formatted correctly. Thankfully, her husband John was the "Master Mind" of the cover and created that, for us. When Mary Lou would tell me how much time she was spending, on the book, making corrections I didn't understand - until I wrote my own. Then I really knew, it wasn't easy!

Mary Lou had asked me to write the book with her but she carried the load. It wasn't easy.  She was my inspiration to get started. She was my Mentor. She took a chance on me ........it wasn't easy.