jonrkc

Author bio:

Lived in Midwest USA all my life except for brief trips to France, Mexico, and Canada. Degree in French from University of Kansas. Almost all my working days were in civil service.

Most of my writing has been journal writing -- millions of words over many years. Wrote just over 3,000 words in November 2010 for NanNoWriMo before quitting in angry disgust after three or four days. Despite that, tried again in 2011 and, owing largely to a first sentence that just came to me along with its character, succeeded. I continued writing in December and at this point (Nov. '12) have two novellas and seven shorter stories self-published on Smashwords.

What I enjoy most are the times -- in everything I've written -- when something just comes from seemingly nowhere, and surprises me as much as (or probably more than...) anybody else that will read the thing. It's the most uncanny feeling and I think I'm not exaggerating to call it thrilling. Endings in particular have happened this way. The ending of one story was completely opposite to what I'd envisioned all along, making the story itself completely different. I love that.

There are phrases and passages here and there that I don't remember writing. The same thing used to happen in journal writing, when I'd get completely involved in writing and lose touch with my environment -- and with the passage of time. That, too, can be exciting, though not as much as when the surprise just hits me over the head and causes a chill up the spine.