Brief Author Bio:

Journalist, working on fiction-writer, I've looked forward to Nanowrimo since I heard about it in October, 2003. I've participated every year: I have to admit the very first attempt was dreadful, probably not worth editing into something better, BUT I did make 50,000 words by the end of the month, despite working as a reporter for about 8.5 hours a day... I remember thinking, "This can't be that bad. I already write at least two stories a day, usually between 300-700 words each." So I generally wrote about 3,000 words a day between work and Nano. I've 'won' each year since, once racking up over 100k words in 30 days.

And then, this March, I got laid off. While I was still in shock about it, I attended a talk by an author from my state who had gotten five mystery novels published. He explained that he wrote his first novel because he had nothing to do during an 11 day vacation he had to take - one of those use it or lose it situations. And in those 11 days he wrote the whole novel, which, coincidentally takes place over about 11 days.
He said a lot of people wanted to write, but never took the time to try. "You just have to have the time," he said. Hmm. Still unemployed. That means I will have a LOT more time to write this year. Look out....