From Kiddie Pool to the Big Wheel by Savannah Hendricks

Summer has arrived in Arizona, strong and heated. The morning hot beverage is now a sweaty glass of iced tea. I find this time of year has me reminiscing more than I do the week before New Years. My mind travels back to my bare wet feet smacking the concrete slab stretching the length of my mom’s back patio. Foot outlines left stamps on the surface.

The way I went from the blue kiddie pool to the Big Wheel was like an undecided Olympic event. It was even a standard practice to spend breakfast to dinner in my bathing suit, much to my mom’s dismay. I didn’t realize it during my childhood, but I was creating memories for stories to come. For stories I never imagined I could or would write; for stories in multiple genres.

As a child asking me to read was equivalent to asking me to eat my lima beans. Why anyone ever thought lima beans were a good idea to consume is still beyond me. It’s like green peas wicked step-sister. When I was with my mom I would read a little if at all, and when I was with my dad I had a reading list equivalent to a chore list. And as you can imagine my disdain, paired with my lack of reading skills, kept me far away from thinking I’d ever be a writer, much less a published author.

I started writing in my mid-twenties, focusing on children’s literature, drawing from all of those childhood memories. Yet, when I decided to switch gears and stepped outside of children’s lit I was told that was a huge industry no-no. Secretly, I started to write adult stories, but with the lack of assurance I’d gathered the stories remained half completed. Then, one day, just like the kiddie pool and the Big Wheel, I took a slippery leap. Sure I was dripping wet when I climbed from the pool onto the Big Wheel, but my confidence remained strong. I worked hard crafting an adult fiction piece while I continued to submit children’s literature.

I dipped my toe into the water with some articles for adults and loved it. Then when the same publisher (Brother Mockingbird) picked up my picture book (Winston Versus the Snow) and my adult sweet romance novel (Grounded in January) it felt as though I drove that Big Wheel right into the kiddie pool with a splash of satisfaction! Discussions about branding me as a writer of one specific genre came up and I knocked them over with a bathing-suit-at-the-dinner-table pride. My mom would be proud, maybe.

Writing is a difficult business, and genre jumping makes it an even bigger challenge. But like my childhood, I couldn’t settle on one. If you knew how many times I tried to convince my mom that all my toys needed to be a part of the kiddie pool party, you would understand. My argument was simple. If I can read all genres why can’t I write all genres? Doesn’t mean I will, but I want the option. And it doesn’t mean I’d be good at all genres. I’m sure some will read like lima beans taste, but that’s alright. Now, excuse me, I have a kiddie pool to fill up. After all, it’s summer in Arizona.

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Savannah Hendricks is also the author of Nonnie and I, a picture book about first day of school anxieties, set in Botswana. Her stories have been included in over 20 children’s magazines, and is the co-author of Child Genius 101: The Ultimate Guide to Early Childhood Development: Vol 1 & 2. Visit her athttps://theseashellsoflife.wordpress.com/

Grounded in January –

Kate Wilson hates to admit it, but she’s unhappy and can’t figure out why. Fearful of flying yet determined to find a reason for her unhappiness, she boards a flight headed for her Washington hometown.

Inn of the Woods owner and pilot, Oxnard Swanson struggles with accepting his multiple sclerosis diagnosis, realizing his dreams of marriage and a family might be over. Determined, he bides his time managing the inn, piloting his Cessna, and training his rescue dog, Bayou.

Sparks quickly fly between Oxnard and Kate, when a snow storm forces her to find refuge in the Inn of the Woods. Maggie, a wise guest, suggests the couple step outside, where the magic of the snow offers answers to their search for happiness and a second chance at love.

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing