Get to Know Wanda P. Smith

I grew up in East Tennessee. I come from a large family of five brothers and two sisters. We are scattered all around now which is surprising to me actually. My Mother is still living but I lost my father a few years back. I am a person that despises change, I fight it , but of course its coming whether any of us are ready or not!

I started writing journals when I was about 13. Any idea be it fiction or non, I just had to write it down. I had written a hundred of these things by the time I was 18. Momma kept them in her cedar chest stacked up neatly in a corner. I told her many times to throw them away but she kept them nonetheless. Several months back I got them from her. She is now 73 and I guess she figured it was time for me to take them. It took many days to read through them remembering each entry almost like it was yesterday.

I simply am a big chicken I suppose. Apparently I have always wanted to write but figured I wasn’t smart enough to put anything I wrote out there. Not saying I’m smarter now, only letting it be known that I think its time to express Wanda, the inner Wanda.

After reading through my journals I realized all the stories I had taken hours to put to paper were just sitting there idly. I relived them like I was back in the 80″s as I glanced over those pages. I laughed at some of the entries because there were a few things I shouldn’t have been writing about placed inside those pages. (If my Momma only knew!) Still I wrote it all down regardless if I faced issues later, LIKE NOW. I’m not sure Momma has ever read any of these journals. If she had I’m sure I would know of it by now.

So now I have decided to write. Write about the stories that encircled my mind 30 years ago that I didn’t have the strength to write before. In doing so I hope I can empty out my head of the thoughts and feelings that invaded me many years ago, although most of those feelings still are very much alive inside.

I have been given so much encouragement by family, friends and even some well known authors. Family usually supports you for the most part as long as its legal! Other writers however take a closer look at your work, teasing the words in their minds, especially when its outside their own writing genre! (Thank you John A. Burkes). This one author took time the to read a couple of chapters among the time he was writing himself.(Check out Flesh Worn Stone by John A. Burkes. Its riveting and will keep your mind on edge through the whole book!) He gave me his honest opinion and I went back to pen and paper at a much slower pace, pulling out the things that needed to be said between the lines.

I am proud to now be able to say that in a few short weeks, Wanda P. Smith, will be publishing her first book SUMMER WINDS. Although it is very scary I have decided one thing for sure, which is not leaving a dream behind. Not letting something you always wanted to do stop you from proceeding because of fear that others will laugh at your story or think its crazy. After all, it is your story. Well it sure made me laugh, heck cry actually, putting those words to paper. But now it is done and I hope those that give it a chance can relive life through the mind of a country girl from Tennessee and know that life has been exceptionally good to her. She had her bad times that’s for sure but life gave her more than she could ask for filled with riches of love,life and living.

I am blessed beyond measure with the greatest friends, especially my one and only BFF Jill Forgey. I also have to mention my precious friend Rob, who inspired me to do this venture and grab a hold of my dreams. Most thankful for William, a husband that gives me undying support and makes it possible for me to explore this avenue. Garret my six year old Nephew (more like our son) that worked steadily beside me doing his kindergarten workbook as I typed away, him diligently stating that himself one day was going to write a book all about me. (scary thought).

If you have gotten this far down the page please take a moment to comment or leave a link back to your own page. I want to get to know the people I converse with on Twitter. Fellow authors, writers and those exploring the new avenues in which I have taken. I love learning about other folks from around the world. I hope this has given everyone some idea of who I am, what I am and what I aspire to be.

Special thanks to the following people on twitter that have given me inspiration, courage, knowledge and the strength to say…I can.

@forgeyjs @johnaburks @davidbainaa @jwestbooks @C.Dennismoore @literarygary @karenbaney