What Inspired Helen Macie Osterman to Become a Writer
What inspired me to
become a writer? It was certainly not an epiphany. I was a storyteller from
childhood. On beautiful autumn days, I walked through the park, leaves
crunching under my feet and adventures running through my mind: an African
safari, a trip to outer space, being chased by a monster.
When I grew up and
became a nurse, I wrote for nursing and medical journals. But technical writing
is a far cry from fiction.
The years passed and I
took a couple of courses in creative writing. That did it. My character, Emma
Winberry, appeared in my mind. I visualized her: shaped like Olive Oyl, hair
spiking every which way. But that wasn’t enough to make her different from
other protagonists I read about.
Emma is in her 60s, has
luminous gray eyes, and has a sixth sense. She converses with her Guardian
Angel. I know this woman, her hopes and dreams. She loves the opera, but is not
a singer. So I gave her the role of supernumerary, an extra in the opera.
Being an opera lover
myself, I always wanted to be a supernumerary but life intervened: divorce,
five dependent children, arthritic hips and knees. So I settled for achieving
my goal vicariously through my character.
Emma lives in a posh
condo on Chicago’s Lakeshore Drive with her wealthy significant other, Nate
Sandler. When I give a presentation, women ask me, where they can find a man
like Nate. I tell them he lives in my brain and belongs only to me and Emma.
I am now working on
book number six in the series, and have a new character floating around in my
head. More about her later.
Bio:
Bio:
Bio:
Helen
Osterman lives in Homer Glen, a suburb of Chicago. She has five children and
nine grandchildren.
She received a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree from Mercy
Hospital-St. Xavier College and later earned a Master’s Degree from Northern
Illinois University. Throughout her forty-five year nursing career, she wrote
articles for both nursing and medical journals.
She is the author of
the Emma Winberry Mystery Series:
The Accidental Sleuth, 2007, The
Stranger in the Opera House,2009, The
Elusive Relation,2011 Emma Winberry
and the Evil Eye, 2012. Locked
Within, 1213
Notes in a Mirror, a paranormal/historical, 2009.
Song of the Rails, a love story, 2011.
Maker’s Mark, a
cozy mystery. 2012
Blurb from Michael
Palmer, MD
Praise
for Locked Within
Locked
Within is a simply wonderful story written by an author who clearly knows our
craft.
I
had a great time with this book and recommend it to any reader who enjoys
clever plotting and vivid characters.
Osterman
is a nurse who understands what it means to care and be cared for. Her writing
is scalpel sharp and much more intelligent than some of the cozies I have read.
Locked
Within is fun and fascinating. Fans of my books will have a great time with it.
Bravo,
Helen Osterman!
Michael
Palmer, MD
New
York Times Winning Author: Political Suicide
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