As a retired teacher, and divorced mother of two grown daughters, the path to the writing and publication of my book, Two Minus One: A Memoir, may appear to be quite circuitous. In fact, it was nothing less than linear and completely causal.

I was living as a single parent. I never imagined that my life would change dramatically in just a few years. I was content in the life I had created for my daughters and myself and fulfilled in my teaching career. I was not looking for any changes to be made. However, after much convincing, I remarried and relocated with a man who was completely attentive and the total opposite of my first husband. Indeed, he repeatedly assured me of his undying love and reminded me continuously that I, “could quit waiting for the other shoe to drop (he was) in it for life.”

One Door Closes…

Of course, my fairy tale did not last a lifetime. Five years after we relocated, he unexpectedly announced that he was, “done and didn’t want to talk about it.” Blindsided by his startling change of heart, I was left alone to manage the betrayal and grief.

Throughout my life I have always journaled. At the suggestion of a friend, I turned my journals into scribbled notes, chapter titles, and my unfolding story as I tried to make sense of what I was experiencing. Somehow a book began to take shape. I shared my words with a trusted few who were each profoundly moved. They insisted that I had a story that would resonate with others and encouraged publication. I wondered if I would ever feel strong enough for such a process.

A Story is Born…

Untrained in writing and unaware of what the journey from writer to author entailed, Naively confident that writing was much harder than publishing, I began to research the steps to publication. Quickly realizing this was bigger than I imagined, and knowing that I was in over my head yet unwilling to step away from a challenge, with the support of those same few, I began to educate myself on the most effective methods to publish a book in the traditional way.

Having no idea of the obstacles in front of me by being an unknown and first-time author with no platform, it seemed that I would immediately strike out without even getting my feet firmly planted on the base. However, undaunted, and still with the unwavering support and encouragement of my core backers, after five months of research, drafts, and hard work, I had a proposal that I was ready to send to publishers.

A perfect example of cause and effect!