Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Fortunately, I am not fifty years old and still in the third grade. But that is where my writing began. I would take six pages of paper, fold them in half and staple in the crease to form a book. I made up some funky characters (all third graders) and wrote a story every day. One of my classmates was good at drawing, so she illustrated the books. My classmates read them and, at recess, we all acted them out. I was a local celebrity.

Sadly, I lost track of those manuscripts a long time ago. If I had possession of them now, I would probably laugh myself silly, the way I do when I read my diaries from junior high. But they were my third grade version of the Great American Novel.

Since that time, I have loved writing. I was fortunate enough, in college, to have Mark Medoff ("Children of a Lesser God") as my instructor in several literatures classes. He required that we keep journals, writings both personal and pertinent to whatever book we were reading. I asked him one day what I should do to become a successful (i.e., published) writer. His advice was to write, write, and write some more. Journals, articles, letters, constantly write. I did all of that. My friend, Lois, can tell you that I would still rather write an old fashioned letter by hand than an e-mail. It probably takes her an hour to read a letter from me, they go on for pages and pages.

I married and had children, and I continued to write. Most of my time was consumed by kid stuff and volunteer work, so I never actually focused long enough to churn out that novel. Now, with the kids grown, my life is going in a new direction. I have been reading Jeff's blog (View From The Cloud) for almost a year, and it's gotten me thinking about writing on a more consistent basis. Plus, he has given me a lot of encouragement and generously offered his advice, which I'm sure I will need, probably sooner than later.

So that's the basis for this site. I am looking forward to writing about more interesting things than an "about me" post, but you gotta start somewhere. Oh, and I'm Mom Thumb because my biological children, and all their friends who call me Mom, delight in reminding me that I'm SHORT! I already know that, since I can't reach the stuff in my cupboards, but they think that, at my age, I probably keep forgetting.

Thanks for reading!

20 Comments:

Blogger Jeff and Charli Lee said...

Congratulations!!! What an exciting day...It will be so fun to your blog, already cool learning about how it all started in third grade. Best of luck, Charli a.k.a, Mrs. Harmonica

4:08 PM  
Blogger Mom Thumb said...

Thanks for the encouragement, Charli! Now I just have to figure out how to make it so that you don't have to be a blogger to comment. That and a few other things . . .

5:09 PM  
Blogger Jeff and Charli Lee said...

Hey Linda - congratulations!

I told if you built it we would come - just like your own personal Field of Dreams!

To answer your question, I believe you have to change the "Who Can Comment?" question (in your comments settings) to "Anyone." That way Charli won't have to use my picture when she comments too.

I'm looking forward to hearing your stories. If they're anything like your comments, we're all in for a treat!

5:54 PM  
Blogger Jennine said...

Linda! Welcome to the wonderful world of blogging! You have an instant audience thanks to all the wonderful people connected with Jeff at the View.

I look forward to reading your writing and if there's anything you need, let us know!

6:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Outstanding!!

Now others can enjoy your talent. I look forward to your upcoming blogs.

Good luck and happy blogging!

6:27 PM  
Blogger Mom Thumb said...

H-man - thanks! I needed a shove out of my comfort zone and reading your blog (and the others you link to) has done that for me. And thanks for your help with the comments, I think it will work better now.

jennine - When you said Jeff at the View, I got a mental image of Jeff sitting at a glass top table with Rosie O'Donnell and Barbara Walters.

Thanks for your support. I look forward to meeting you at Blogestoa!

6:34 PM  
Blogger Mom Thumb said...

randy - you have always been my biggest fan (please don't do anything awful to my feet a la kathy bates). I promise to be nice when I write about you. Well, not mean.

7:00 PM  
Blogger Heather said...

Congrats on no longer being a blog virgin!! It's totally addicting to write your own blog...I'm my own biggest fan.

I used to do all the things you did as a kid...I even got about 8 chapters into writing a novel as an eighth grader...I should dig that out...I bet it's totally awesome!!

8:46 PM  
Blogger Mom Thumb said...

heather - 8 chapters is awesome for an 8th grader - dig it out and finish it. Thanks for reading!

8:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

w00t! Mom's officially a blogger now. That's pretty cool! Your promise to Dad should qualify for me, too, though ;)

8:24 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Linda--and congrats on having your own blog!!!Bill and I LOVED reading your comments on Jeff's blog---now we'll get to read even more of You!!!

10:24 AM  
Blogger Jeff and Charli Lee said...

Hey, easy with the "getting more comments than me" on your first day of blog-hood! I'm kind of insecure that way you know.

10:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Welcome aboard! A famous writer once told her students to carry a note pad and pencil for writing down their daily observations. I think that is a good idea, especially for an older woman!

10:59 AM  
Blogger Mom Thumb said...

daughter - we shall see . . .

Lois - I'm glad you're reading, it makes me feel closer to you!

H-man - I think I've padded, you'll notice four of the comments are mine. Well, five now.

Bill - I hope when you say "older woman" that you are referring to the famous writer.

1:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great job Linda!! I cannot be mean to you.

2:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Linda....I have already added you to my favorites. I will look forward to seeing what you have to say!!! Di

1:14 PM  
Blogger Mom Thumb said...

di - great, glad to see you here!

6:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey, Linda! I enjoyed reading and can't wait to read more! Tell the family "hi" for me!

5:53 AM  
Blogger Mom Thumb said...

tracy - cool, glad you're here!

7:05 AM  
Anonymous Mircrosoft Office Standard 2010 said...

H-man - I think I've padded, you'll notice four of the comments are mine. Well, five now.

12:57 AM  

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