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. Be...