L. M. GONZALEZ, Writer

Who Am I? Quien Soy?

STATS

Born: October in Fort Stockton, Texas

Raised in: Big Spring, Texas, Crossroads of West Texas www.texaxescapes.com

Alla en el rancho grande... no, wait a minute, I wasn't born on a big ranch, though the home that I grew up in was dubbed "el ranchito" by my dad, Alberto Mesa Morales. He is taking this picture. There's also a picture of me and him, taken by by mom, Tomasa Molina Montanez, but I can't find it. [I'm being overtaken by clutter in my house.]   This is me in at Easter time, my first one, wearing a hat. Through the years, I've worn many hats, literally.

I have three sisters, Amelia, Nora and Dora. No, they're not twins.

In 1976, I wrote my very first story after reading "Sweet Savage Love" by Rosemary Rogers as I baby sat during the Summer of 1975. With the not very inspiring title of "My First Story", my hero had green eyes and a sullen demeanor unlike Steven Morgan's in Rogers' story. In my story, though, he was a furniture delivery guy (where did I come up with that?)

I have no idea where I got this hat - it's blue denim. At one point, after I had gone off to college, in San Angelo, Texas, about 90 miles away, and discarded my hat, my dad wore it, too. I still have it.

In senior English, I had to write themes. Remember those? I allowed my sisters to read a couple of them - the ones about goals and dreams after graduation. They liked them and suggested that, maybe, I should be a writer. Ever a keeper of a diary or journal, that night the entry read: "Do I want to be a writer? It seems to be a lot of work."

I guess my answer was yes. Because, here I am still writing.

After college, thankfully, with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, I got married and had my first son, Albert. Eight years later, Michael was born. Here they are in 1989 with their Grandpa.

As you can see, I didn't major in creative writing, journalism, or even English. What I had wanted to major in was fashion design at Bauder College in Fort Worth, Texas, but my parents thought 18 was too young to leave home. So, I stayed in Big Spring for two years, got my Associates, then transferred to San Angelo.

I truly loved my boys and getting to know them and growing up with them. I often wondered how my parents knew so much. Now, looking back, I realize that they had grown in wisdom through trial and error - just as I had. What they had warned me about was things that they had gone through, or people they knew had gone through. Of course, as it happens, sometimes we have to go ahead and make mistakes before we learn.

Yes, I want to be a writer and I'm working on being a published writer - in book form.

When my eldest son was about to graduate from high school in 1999, we discussed possible careers. I advised him to choose something he really liked because he would be doing that for 8 hours or more per day until he retired. That made me ask myself if I was doing what I really enjoyed. The answer was no, not any more.

I did achieve my goal and dream of having my own desk, my own typewriter (which evolved to a computer) and even my own corner office with a view! My business degree came in handy even with vocational rehab, mental health, outpatient surgery and, at present, home health. Every business needs someone who knows, well, business. When I started my journey toward a published writer, I realized that business degree will, once again, be useful.

In May 2001, I joined the local chapter of Romance Writers of America, San Antonio Romance Authors. At first I was daunted by this because the first person I met was Pamela Morsi and I had recently read a book by her, 'Sealed With A Kiss'. I couldn't believe I was near enough to her to speak to her. I soon learned that published authors, even best-selling authors as Pam is, walk the earth the same as I do. They've also gone through trials and tribulations, rejections and acceptance as all writers do. The difference was that they never gave up until they were published.

I have been writing ever since I learned that I could make letters with a pencil. In 1971, I had a pink diary and poured my 13-year-old thoughts into that little book. Since then, I have kept a journal, either on spiral notebooks, notebook paper or any paper I could find! 1987 was a challenging year for me so that year's journal was on steno pad paper of all colors!

Oh, the hat! I bought it, then returned it, thinking that I probably wouldn't wear it on a regular basis. Once in awhile, though more frequently nowadays, I get in a rut and can't write. "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott is one of my favorite books - probably because it's about four sisters, who are very close and do everything together - just like my sisters and I do. Anyway, Jo March is the writer in the family, and every time she sits down to write, she wears a hat. I wondered if wearing a hat would help me. So, I bought one, then returned it. I think I'll go back and get it.