THOSE FOR WHOM I WRITE

As I type this a new member of my family is preparing to enter this crazy world of ours. My niece, who is very dear to me, is in labor with her first child. Ultrasounds have shown that the baby is a girl. That makes five little girls in my immediate family. All of these precious girls were a big motivator behind my writing.

It started when I read the Twilight series of books. Now before any of you Twi-hards grab your torches and pitchforks and storm my house let me explain. The series of books is an engaging story and is beautifully written. However now I don't just look at things for their entertainment value, I look at them through Mommy eyes. The main character in those books is a young woman that must constantly rely on big, strong boys to save and protect her. (Up until the last book.) As a mom this was not the kind of role model I wanted my girls to have. I looked around at the women in my own life; my mother in-law that serves God, my mother and aunt that are nurses and serve the well being of others, all the Mommies that devote themselves to their little ones, the hardworking career women, the college gals preparing for their futures, the list goes on and on. These are the women I want my girls to emulate. Yet I felt the literary and entertainment venues often overlooked strong female characters. (Except for Buffy. That girl kicked serious butt.) It was the desire to give not just my girls, but young girls everywhere a heroine that they could relate to that made me want to write again. That desire and a passing dream on a random night are the combination that resulted in THE CONDUIT.

Now, there will be another sweet little girl in my life. I cannot wait to meet her. Therefore I dedicate this blog entry to Emma Rose; welcome to the world baby girl. You are so deeply loved. It is my wish for you that you grow to be the hero of your own story. With more love than you can imagine. --Aunt Stacey