PIVOT

As many of my readers know, I have recently made a dramatic change to what I have been writing.

Previously, I had been working on a YA fantasy novel. I had drafted and rewritten it many times over the years, but it never felt quite right. I had trouble finding my author voice and would often get caught up in the world building aspect of writing. While the story is still in my heart, and I hope to return to it someday, I have decided to pivot.

I went nearly a year without writing a word. You can witness this on my blog as well as with my twitter feed. I effectively removed myself from the writing community. It wasn't because I had decided not to pursue my passion, nor was I lost at sea. No, the explanation is much simpler than that. I was pregnant.

I know, I know. You're probably asking why that had anything to do with writing, right? Well, for me it did. I had a rather hard pregnancy. One with many complications which made it difficult for me to concentrate on anything for very long. And once I gave birth, it became clear to me that there would be more hurtles to get through before life would finally settle down. You see, we learned something that we had not initially been prepared for. Our son, Theo, was born with Down syndrome.

We ended up spending quite a long time at the hospital and the children's home before finally being able to bring him home for good. Shortly after getting him home, I came to a huge realization. While I love my original story and the world that I have built around it, that wasn't what I needed to be writing. That was no longer my priority.

As you can imagine, being a writer and an avid reader, Theo is read to often. While he loves all of his books, I couldn't help but notice that not one of the children's books we own has a main character who has Down syndrome--or any disability for that matter. This, in my opinion, is a problem. I want Theo to grow up feeling as if he is included in every way possible.

So, instead of working on the novel I have spent over 10 years on, I decided it is time for a change. I have begun working on children's books that promote inclusion and shed light on the challenges and struggles that come with being a child with a disability. These books are geared towards allowing children to grow up knowing that they are not alone in this world and that there is nothing wrong with who they are.

These children are so amazing and strong and they deserve to be represented in the books they read. They deserve to grow up knowing that the world loves them exactly the way they are. By writing children's books with the MC as a child with Down syndrome gives them somebody to relate to. Isn't that what we all want? Someone we can relate to?