Personal Statement

(written for MFA admittance)

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     Walking the half mile to the library during the summer of 1995 was an opportunity to escape life’s realities. The coolness of the air conditioning and the comfort of the overstuffed chair awaited me as I returned again and again to the pages of The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. I could have checked the book out and taken it home with me, but part of the appeal was being somewhere else. And in that elsewhere I fought off the evil cardinal, forged friendships with Porthos, Aramis, and Athos, and used my integrity and swordsmanship to save a country.

 

     The story of D’Artagnan offered me three things: escape, catharsis, and a blueprint for humanity. This is the power of a good book. It wasn’t until adulthood, a marriage and three children later, that I began to write my own stories. In that space, I discovered the added power of being a writer, creator, and editor in escaping and coping with the stressors of life. Now I strive to write stories that will pay forward the benefits I received. Not only to write books that allow its readers to check out, but to find characters they can laugh and cry with, and heroes who not only save the day but also save the humanity within themselves.

 

     Today’s readers deserve the best we can offer them. I hope that by attending SNHU, I can elevate my skills and technique to create compelling stories with imperfect heroes who provide a gateway to elsewhere: a place where readers see themselves and their struggles, and feel encouraged to move forward with hope.