I am a high school English teacher. I've been teaching for seven years and I have loved every moment of it. Teaching is one of the reasons I finally pushed myself to finish writing my novel. I wanted to show my students the importance of pursuing your goals and dreams and that they don't just happen. It takes a lot of hard work and effort. 

 

Reading and writing have always been my passion. I have been writing stories since I was very little. My grandmother used to type my stories on her little desktop computer, the kind with the black screen and white writing. Once I could write, I would steal her old typewriter (I wish I still had that; it was so much fun writing stories on it). I also read—a lot. I was the student who got in trouble in class for reading under her desk. 

 

If I could give one piece of advice to future writers and storytellers out there, it would be to read and write as much as you can. Reading teaches you what type of writer you want to be, and writing helps you practice. And don't give up on a story, even if you feel stuck or get tired of it. If you need to take a break go for it, but always go back.