Where the road ends, and the sidewalk begins?

Or is that the other way around?

Do you remember the first time you visited Disneyland or Disney World? Being so excited to see everything only to find that for most, if not all the attractions, there were those big, long lines you had to stand in. I remember doing that for It’s a Small World, my favorite to this day, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Sorry Walt, but that last one scared me! Where’s the grimace emoji when you need it?

Focus Denise! Ah, yes my point! As you stood there melting in the sun, moving an inch every ten minutes, looping up and down the roped path, did you ever wonder what you’d see inside? For me, each ride was better than I could have ever imagined. However, unknown to me, I’ve recently discovered that my life had been taking some similar slow twists and turns, but until now I’d never realized nor wondered what I’d find within the next ride…until now.

An author? What’s happening here? I’m a math teacher by trade. Been one for a little over thirty years now. I’ve enjoyed teaching my students and the subject. Yet, somehow the world had sent out the word that it wanted me to become an author. The only problem was, I hadn’t seen the memo.

It started slowly at first. Boredom filled me in the math training courses I attended. That led me to question my surprising decision as I went around the next loop in my life’s path. I chose to get certified in reading. Five long, hard courses, but I stuck with the plan. Who knew that it would be required four years later as I transitioned into a new teaching position.

I entered the world of Exceptional Student Education. This job was to be the second teacher in the classroom helping those students who were struggling to learn the concepts being taught. The problem was that the only opening for this type of position was in an English classroom. What had I done?

Change is good, right?!

After so many years of teaching a completely different subject, I’d still be lucky to remember where a period goes and how I never liked adverbs. For the first year, I stayed quiet because I didn’t want the co-teacher to know that I’d rather be back on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride than to have thirty faces staring at me while I tried to teach some English topic. However, I’d chosen this and wasn’t going to let it beat me. I settled into working to relearn the vocabulary unique to the course itself and found this ride to be amazing.

So, here I am seven years later writing fantasy and children’s stories while debating if the next sentence should start in a new paragraph. Now comes the slow transition from one career to the next, and it scares me. What if I’m the worst writer in the world? Unfortunately/fortunately, something gnaws at me to find out. I’ve got a handful of years to dial down from one career and figure out where this new one leads.

This is how my next adventure begins. I hope you’ll join me on the ride. I promise no long lines, unless, of course, I become some famous best-selling author and you want to meet me so we can take a selfie at a bookstore signing. Hey wait! You’re supposed to be laughing right now and not making that—Is that a grimace?

To read more about me, please check out my bio page.