Want to learn more about me? Read on at your own risk! 
“I love to write…”
This is a given. If I didn’t love to write, I wouldn’t be writing. Would I? I suppose it’s possible that I really hate to write but do it because I’m desperate to be good at something and have a knack for storytelling. But that wouldn’t be true. Well, not all of it.
I like to think I have the storytelling gene. Sam Clemens had it, and he was my-two to three times “great”-grandmother’s cousin. Almost everyone in this family line likes to tell stories… or maybe just talk your ear off. Me? I do both.
“What I love to write…”
My interests are all over the place. I love science fiction and fantasy. Urban fantasy is a growing niche that I’ve noticed over the past few years. I’ve been fascinated by it for much longer. Some of my longer work is urban fantasy. Since it’s not published, I won’t go into it right now. You can bet I’ll post information when it becomes available.
I try to write what I call “normal” fiction. By “normal,” I mean fiction in a contemporary setting. It’s difficult because I love to take strange tangents. Wouldn’t it be cool if my heroine stepped off an elevator not into a lobby, but into another world? Or what if fairies suddenly popped into an otherwise feasible scene?
My goal is to publish novels. My attention span is shorter than a burned-out candle wick. I guess that’s why I enjoy writing short stories. Some sci-fi and fantasy classics started out as short stories. One of my favorite examples is Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, which grew from the short story of the same name. You can bet I’ll do the happy dance if I get even one of my sci-fi shorts into Analog (a sci-fi magazine)!
I belong to a RWA (Romance Writers of America) chapter. For a while, I had this vision of churning out hack romance-bodice-ripper novels. Ha! I have since been educated. Romantic fiction has a lot more class than a neophyte may expect. Yes, it’s possible to be a hack, but it gets more difficult every year. Publishers are more and more exacting, and the competition is growing. I’m grateful that my chapter lets me stick around–I’m not so good at the romance part of writing. My stories are more plot driven. Romance tends to be character and emotion driven. Pucker up!
“Why I love to write…“
Writing makes me feel good. For every story I finish–whether big or small–I feel a sense of accomplishment. When another person likes what I’ve written, so much the better.
“Other things I love…”
First and foremost: I love my children. I have two kids, and I think I may burst with all this love. It’s sickening, but I don’t care. They are wonderful, each in their own way. Cliché, I know. Then again, clichés are what they are for a reason.
My daughter is six. She is also autistic. Fortunately, she can speak. Granted, she can be difficult to understand, but she’s improving. There are many things I could say, but until she’s old enough to understand and give permission, I’m going to leave it at that. Who knows? When she grows up, she might write an autobiography.
My son is under a year old. He seems to be doing fine. The milestones are there, some of them early. He is a different person, all right. I can tell he’s going to be a rambunctious boy!
My husband is a self-admitted geek. He’s a software engineer at a major corporation. That said, don’t assume we live on easy street. When I mention his job among some people, they automatically think we’re rich or something. If only! I have to say, my husband is a smart guy. He’s good at what he does, and he’s not half bad as a father. He also adores the kids. And they adore him.
I took Equine Studies in college. I haven’t ridden a horse since September 2000. When I switched to that major, I didn’t know that I physically cannot have a labor-intensive career. Fibromyalgia isn’t as serious as other diseases, but it can be a dream-killer. Luckily, I’m a bigger dreamer. Long story short: I love horses.
The major I should have taken would be art-related. I seem to have some talent for it. Now a stay-at-home mom, I’ve decided to take online courses toward a degree in web/digital design.
I also love to read. This has led to my book review site: Wantz Upon a Time Book Reviews. That site will improve, and I’ll create others (for pay!) as a result of my upcoming classes.
MJ Twain
As you may have guessed, my name isn’t really MJ Twain. I don’t feel the need to hide my real name, but it’s associated with the book reviewing site, among other things. Because of the family connection, I have always dug the idea of using “Twain” as part of my pseudonym. As for the “MJ” part, well, if you know me, you’ll have a good guess. If not, I’ll leave you to puzzle over it. All I will say is the “M” does not stand for “Mark.”
Thanks for stopping in to meet me. Now get back out there are read more of my stuff!
