People Who Have Inspired Me

My blog is a little different today, a bit more personal. I have been a constant visitor to a Facebook page, The Crime Scene. And one post asked who was your favourite writer.

Well, I have been inspired by many writers - Edgar Allen Poe, Agatha Christie, Robert B. Parker, Jim Thompson, Erle Stanley Gardner. I've also been inspired by writers whose names may not be as familiar - Melusine Draco, Raymond Buckland, Salima Ikram, Normandi Ellis, Dana Eilers, Hilary Wilson, David Wolpe. All are great writers in their fields (and there are many more who are too numerous to mention here).

But, the one person who had the most impact on my desire and passion for writing was not a writer, was not famous, and was known by only the people whose lives she touched - my mother. She made learning fun, always challenged my imagination, and never failed to encourage me to reach for the stars.

After her death, thirty years ago, I met a number of people who had been touched by her kindness, her caring, and her generous spirit. Their words had a profound effect upon me; I vowed to find a way to make her proud and to celebrate her life in my own.

As a published author, I still thrill each time I hold a book I have written. As a woman who lost her mother so long ago, I also feel a twinge of sadness at not being able to share the accomplishment with her. She would have cheered me on when struggling with edits, patted me on the back when the work was done, and taken me to lunch to celebrate each publication.

So, on this Mother's Day, remember the people, behind the scenes, who are your support. Writers are solitary creatures, sometimes staring for hours (or days) at a computer screen, forgetting the people who are there for us every step of the way. Today is the day to thank them for their love, their devotion, and their quiet restraint when we are working.