Where Do We Begin?
Hey there. Thanks for coming! My name is L. E. Brooks and I wrote a book called Avelina. As it turns out, that was the easy part. I always thought writing a book would be this wonderful, miraculous experience where I really explored my creative side. It was that, actually, but it also required me to go back to school. I had to learn how to use social media, make a website, hire editors and cover designers, and how to do a newsletter (I’m still working on that). I drew a terrible map, and started messing around with Midjourney. I started reviewing books on Instagram to gain followers, and posting here and there about Avelina. There are people out there that post to their Instagram three times a day. THREE! Who the hell has time for that?
In other words, I had to get really comfortable with not knowing what the hell I was doing. And here we are, at my first blog post.
Here’s what I want to say about my writing journey so far. Avelina was originally called The Cult of Anick (now the series title). I shocked myself by writing it in four months. I’m not really sure what happened. I’ve been writing for years, but I mostly write poetry. Like this one…
In the queen’s garden, there is a key that opens up our destiny.
Covered in mud and blood, it pleads the wisdom of dishonor.
It helps you face your enemy and searches out what seems empty,
But if you wait, and don’t misread, you may avoid a slaughter.
It dreams of time beyond the trees and sounds the call to mutiny
Because it cannot help but lead the horses to the water.
For though we may not all agree, our hearts are longing to be free
And so, we’ll follow, fight and bleed until death weighs upon her.
Then through the rubble and debris the saplings grow in twos and threes
From stone to stone, their shade of creed expanding ever broader.
And so, my dragon, use the key; and in time, I’ll have with me
The only thing I’ll ever need, my husband, son, and daughter.
This is the poem from my debut novel, Avelina. I’ve always wanted to write a novel, but I thought that was just something that rich people with MFAs do, not nurses like me who spend all their free time doing dishes and laundry and making chicken nuggets for their kids. What I’ve discovered is that sometimes, if you wish upon a star, and let the laundry sit there, your husband will get sick of it and do it himself. And Burger King makes pretty good chicken nuggets. So here we are. Thanks again for reading. I love that you made it this far. Here’s to a hundred more blog posts. Cheers.
