Find Your Passion, Find Happiness!

This week I am delighted to introduce my guest, author Marianne Spitzer, with her heart-felt post telling us about her various passions. One of which, of course, is writing. Welcome Marianne and thank you so much for being my guest.

There are many issues I feel passionate about. The first is my faith. I believe a relationship with God is the most important relationship I can have. If I trust in Him things will turn out the way they should.

I am also passionate about health issues. Cancer is the biggest of these. It has taken too many people from me including my grandmother, father and my son-in-law when he was only 37.

I am an emotional writer and when something happens in my life I write about it. It is usually the length of a short story, but after the words are on paper, I feel better. I write out feelings I can’t say out loud. It is very therapeutic, at least for me.

I have been writing since the sixth grade when my teacher told my mom that she should make sure I write something every day because someday I would write a book. I thought about it for years, but life has a way of detouring our plans. A husband, children, grandchildren, and all the joy and pain that come from life kept me from starting that novel. I had an idea and maybe thinking about it for years made it easier to write.

I divorced, my children grew up and left home and now my grandchildren do quite well without grandma around all the time. It was then that I decided it was time to tackle a novel. I also have rheumatoid arthritis which keeps me from doing a lot of outdoor physical activities. My lap top became a good friend. I am a night owl and I find the night a wonderful time to write mysteries and dream up plots and scenarios.

I wasn’t sure if I was ready to publish a novel and not sure how to go about it. I decided to first write short stories that I had told my granddaughter, Brittney, when she was young. I self-published Princess Brittney Stories to minimal success. It got my feet wet as they say and I tried a book of essays and I had a bit more success. I was ready to self-publish my first novel, Gypsy Spirits. When it began to sell, I was excited. I had already begun a second novel, The Letter, and also self-published it. It has been my best seller to date. I have finished writing the sequel to Gypsy Spirits entitled Annamarie and Magdalena. I am in the midst of editing it and will begin a sequel to The Letter during this November’s NaNoWriMo.

Since writing is my passion, I find it has helped me deal with the difficulties in my life caused by my Rheumatoid Arthritis. While others may be able to run and jump and go to fairs and carnivals walking from place to place, I can get lost in a world of my own making. A world no one except me understands. It’s a wonderful world where I can decide how my characters come to life or leave it. It’s a fun thing to do and I enjoy it immensely.

I feel passionately about the fact that everyone needs something to take them to a place that calms them and makes them happy. Our world is stressful and frightening at times. I find my calm place writing. I suggest you find yours whether it is knitting, woodworking, hiking, photography, or any of a number of things. Enjoy the happy things in your life and be blessed.

Bio:

Hi, I am a grandma of two wonderful grandkids and writing is my passion. I began writing when I was in grade school and never stopped. Everything about writing excites me. I love summer and star light, but snow and ice make my dislikes list. I love to read of course and some of my favorite writers are Wendy Corsi Staub, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. When I want something a bit scarier, I read Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft. Of course you can’t beat classics such as Dracula and Frankenstein. I prefer books over movies and have always loved mysteries since I picked up my first Nancy Drew book a long time ago.

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