I’ve always had a fascination with reading and the effect words have on the mind. I remember my older brother and sister reading stories to me before I started school. I listened with awe and gazed with wonder at the black letters on the page, anxious for the day I, too, could make words out of the symbols. My first day of school dawned and I couldn’t wait to get to school and learn how to read. Imagine my disappointment when all we did was color, cut out, and glue. I came home and told my mom I was never going back. I gave them all day and I still didn’t know how to read. She laughed and explained it took time. Hence, my first lesson with patience, as well.
I have an affinity with language. I loved spelling, reading, composition and diagramming in school. These subjects were my forte while mathematical related subjects were not. I wrote my first stories for my children to help them with reading. I did an alphabet series with insects as in Andy Ant, Betty Bee, etc, to get them excited about reading and identifying different letters. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure.
I dropped the writing for a few years and later I decided I wanted to do a rewrite of a familiar fairytale as more of an origin story. The idea took root and I sat down to my computer to write my first novel. The Wicked Sister is the result, and I enjoyed every minute of its creation. I still remember where I was when I received the email from The Wild Rose Press asking me for my entire manuscript and later offering me a contract. I love being an author and creating stories that pop into my head and lead me on adventures, quests, and the need for justice.
I have a dear friend who passed away this last week. She was one of my biggest fans and cheered me on through every up and down. One of the last texts she sent me thanked me for writing stories for her to get lost in and escape for a while to another place and time. She worked forty hours a week and took care of her elderly parents, one of whom suffered with dementia. I will never forget her kind words and great support. I’m thankful my stories offered her a few moments of happiness and this, truly, is the greatest reward an author could ask for.
You can visit Virginia’s website at https://www.virginia-barlow.com or connect with her on Twitter, Goodreads and Facebook.
Virgina's paranormal romance novel The Witch of Rathborne Castle is available:
Amazon https://amzn.to/31jVXYA
Barnes & Noble https://bit.ly/3xPx1ED
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