The first vivid memory I have of being a writer is of me, age 12,
burying my first novel at the foot of an old Juniper tree that stood on the
northwest corner of the 160 acres I grew up on. It was a defining moment
because I knew then that nothing could stop me from being who I was born to be:
not my abusive parents, my inherent loneliness or the fact I was growing up
secluded on the wastelands of Central Oregon. Writing was my escape and
salvation, my little secret that I guarded closely. There was the occasional
poem I would share with the family to appease their curiosity. The novel, a
slew of dark poems and my journals are lost forever. Under constant scrutiny
and monitoring at the hands of my parents, I found ways to express myself on
paper then destroy it before it could be discovered. I would burn some of my
writings in the wood stove but my novel was too thick to dispose of quickly.
That’s why I buried it during a nature walk, one of the few activities I was
permitted to do alone.
Later on in life as I started defining myself as a writer, my
identity went through the growing pains of bad and good advice, some of which
came from best-selling authors. I threw myself into the machine, never shying
from lengthy discussions with agents and publishers. I sustained the social
discouragement of comments from ignorant people. A date’s quip during dinner
tops the list of my favorites, “So what are you going to do after being a
writer?”
Going through the writer’s fire I’ve learned one truth that keeps
me focused and confident. In this short piece I have shared with you intimate
details of where I’ve come from, who I am and a taste of my personality. It
takes a certain amount of vulnerability to put it all out there but it’s worth
it. Fiction or non-fiction, every writer has an opportunity to share their
experiences and perspective and that is what connects you to your reader.That is the magic of writing for me.
That is my truth, my rule, my strength in this craft. Now a published novelist
and travel columnist, I’ve had the great honor of speaking with people from all
over the world who have been impacted on a very personal level by my work. It
is the greatest high in life for me to know someone read the words I wrote and
felt something because of it.
A saying I once heard goes something like “There is no such thing
as a former writer.” Fellow wordsmiths, we were born this way and we are here
to stay.
Aimee draws upon her own experiences as well as stories she's heard along the way. She uses organic themes and relatable, flawed characters. She strives to provide a voice for victims of abuse and increase awareness. Her debut thriller 'Scrapbook' follows the life of Hannah Dormer, a young woman living in quiet desperation until a family of serial killers opens her eyes to her Shadow Self.
To discover Ms. Conner's lighter side as a travel columnist, visit www.lynfuchs.blogspot.com to catch her latest ramblings from Walla Walla Washington.
10% of 'Scrapbook' digital sales are donated toward helping victims of abuse and violence.
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