JO. B. CREATIVE!: MY ONLY NOVEL & THE REASON BEHIND IT

MY ONLY NOVEL &

THE REASON BEHIND IT

Is my trilogy Alias Jeannie Delaney my only story? Yes, it is. I wonder why? Here's a snapshot of the story:

Alias Jeannie Delaney follows the life of devastating and charismatic pants-wearing cowgirl Jeannie Morgan, who's the fastest gun in the west and a magnificent lover to both men and women. This is her journey to find her true self on the wild frontier throughout deadly confrontations and personal tragedies. Will Jeannie find happiness or will her tomboy beauty, powerful persona and lethal gun ultimately be the death of her? Read the three novels and find out!

First and foremost in my life came art, creative anecdotal writing, a renaissance soul life - I wish! - and a growing fascination for the wild west. Alias Jeannie Delaney was the only novel length story I ever came up with and felt a true passion for. I wrote one or two fairy stories when I was young and, aged fourteen, I won a competition. I then wrote a gritty murder when I was older, but nothing stuck.

Alias Jeannie Delaney came into my head as a result of watching sixties' and seventies' westerns and noticed the lack of decent roles for women, much less the fastest gun. Over the years, as my fascination for the wild west evolved, so did the story in my head. I began to illustrate Jeannie and it all became very exciting. Little did I know that it was an antidote for dealing with my mental health issues.

MY JEANNIE

Courtesy of parents, siblings and wives, I encountered emotional abuse and neglect over the years - a drip-drip of meanness, sarcasm or criticism mixed with my being ignored emotionally by family from the year dot until I turned sixty, after which time my parents died, leaving me free at last. My parents and I were good friends, but I was 'so sensitive' and none of the family were. They were the reason for me writing my trilogy. I was creative and quirky. They weren't. If I became moody and depressed, I was teased. Mother was of the 'pull yourself together' brigade.

Jeannie was an antidote. Of course I was unaware of this at the time. Jeannie was the woman I wanted to create and ultimately, the woman I wanted desperately to send out into the world. She was me. The 'perfect woman' (in my eyes). I desperately needed to tell the family about my evolving story, so I told them that I was writing a life story of a Calamity Jane character (most people have heard of Calamity). But Jeannie was, apart from being the fastest gun, also a magnificent lover to both men and women. I couldn't tell anyone that until my soulmate hubby prised it out of me and I showed him my drawings. He told me that she was sexy, and for goodness sake write that story!

CALAMITY JANE

My story was partly a result of my determination for the world to see that it wasn't only men who carried the fastest gun! My being a wild west enthusiast, that had to be. Jeannie had to take on the role of a traditional western hero and become a cowgirl, an outlaw, a deputy sheriff, a powerful rancher and finally a mayor and a member of the posse because she's unbeatable with a gun, and her magnetic charisma holds people to ransom. To top all this, she had to be devastatingly beautiful, but not in a chocolate box way. I wanted her to be a tomboy beauty, and I think she is. She represents me - a successful me. It's a wild west theme simply because that's my fascination. She could just as easily have been a pirate (mm - there's a thought). If I get her successfully out into the world, that means I'm successful. I wasn't aware of any of this until recently. Psychologically it's a very complicated and knotted up reasoning. Jeannie's story turned into a trilogy, covering half her lifetime. A friend of ours said recently: 'You've written a trilogy? Good grief!'

I've never been inspired to write another novel. Nothing came with quite the same passion, the same drive. My desire to achieve good research, great atmosphere, believable characters and a credible, exciting plot was my driver and caused me endless angst, heartache and tears over the years, causing me to end up in therapy - my counsellor is fab - the only therapist ever to completely understand Jeannie and me.

I've enjoyed writing anecdotal articles as well, and have had many published. They're relaxation, a complete break from something as intense as a trilogy. My first calling as an artist remains, and to be multidisciplined and make a name for myself as an artist and creative writer would be so satisfying.

I've learned about published authors with only one novel, or trilogy to their names. Anna Sewell's Black Beauty, for one, and Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind for another (written after she broke her ankle, to help pass the time).

These days traditional publishers won't take on authors with only one book to their names because in these fiercely competitive days they can't risk an unknown author who can't be guaranteed to write more. Your only novel is likely to end up on slush piles of manuscripts and not even glanced at. One person, the publishing company's professional reader, will decide on the fate of your novel.

That's where Amazon comes in. It's free to self-publish, and many people remark that a lot of rubbish is put out as a result. True. But great writing as well. That's where a discerning reading public come in. If astute readers dislike a book, the book won't get read and will languish on Amazon's bookshelves forever. Alternately, if the reading public enjoy a book, it will be bought and read and the deserving author will receive payment.

So there I am. The first two novels are selling - I won't say like hot cakes - but considering it's a very niche subject which is hard to market, they've done extremely well and have earned many five star ratings and over six hundred and fifty readers. Of course there is negativity and those who hate the story, so I'm careful to avoid reading anything negative.

Well-meaning folks utter: 'How exciting!' It's not. It's ******* hard work! Still, I've published Books 1 and 2 and I'm working on Book 3 now. I am, hubby tells me, successful. I believe him, but I still feel very bemused, if not surreal. I've got over surreal. I won't be writing another subject any time soon, but I may well write further stories about Jeannie. Apparently that's what some authors do when they can't part with their heroes. I'm not surprised.

ME!