The First Time I Told Someone I Wanted To Be a Writer

Many books have inspired and continue to inspire me to write. But thinking back to my childhood, a few specific ones come to mind. Here's one: HOOT by Carl Hiaasen.

Howdy Friends,

In case you missed it, I posted a TikTok video in which I opened my first box of Gator Country hardcovers. It was an emotionally overwhelming experience to finally hold a copy of my first book in my hands, and I wanted to share that moment with all of you!

Many books have inspired and continue to inspire me to write. But thinking back to my childhood, a few specific ones come to mind. Here's one: HOOT by Carl Hiaasen.

It came out when I was 12. Even though I loved reading as a little kid, middle school convinced me that reading was uncool and boring. When I read HOOT, though, I was astonished to enter the life of a character who was remarkably like me, a girl who grew up exploring the swamp.

A few years earlier, developers had razed the swampland right next to my elementary school. Before they came, it had been a beautiful place of oak shade and mysterious creatures rustling in the saw palms. Then I watched as outsiders carelessly demolished that overlooked paradise and put in a Walmart. To entice locals to come in, they held events and offered door prizes, including the chance to pet baby alligators. The handler held one, its mouth taped shut, so I could pet it right next to the vending machines and trash cans. The whole scene filled me with an anger I didn't understand—until I read HOOT.

Later, Hiaasen came to my middle school on book tour. I won a contest and had the chance to meet him. When we met, he asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I told him I wanted to be a writer.

Many writers caution young, aspiring authors about the challenges they may encounter in pursuit of writing. Carl didn’t do that though, and instead, he encouraged me.

"You should go for it," he said. "It's a hard job, but don't let anybody stop you from trying if that's really what you want to do."

A month or so ago, I told that story to a friend who happened to know Carl Hiaasen, and he connected us via email. (Thanks Craig!) Reaching out to your heroes can be scary because—what if they’re not as wonderful as they seem? But Carl was, once again, so nice, and it was wonderful to reconnect with the first person I ever told that I wanted to be a writer and to be able to say,

“I told you I was going to be a writer, and I did it.”

Yours Truly,

Rebecca

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In a Facebook group I belong to, someone recently asked for book recommendations, specifically for adventure stories culminating in personal character revelations. It reminded me of Barbarian Days by William Finnegan. Barbarian Days is a vivid retelling of a lifelong surfer's journey, offering an amalgamation of adventure-seeking thrills, personal history, and an exploration of the art of surfing. Though it’s been a while since I read it, I remember loving the book and immediately understanding why it won the Pulitzer. When I was still teaching, a lot of my students were surfers, and I am, too, so we bonded over that. One of them had just gone through a personal tragedy. I give books to people to show I care. So I gave him one of my favorite books, hoping it would remind him of the beauty of the world and help him get through that difficult time in his life. I highly recommend this book!

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Reminder: My launch party for Gator Country is Saturday, November 11, 2023, at 6 p.m. at ZEPPELIN BOOKS (885 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801)

Will I see you there? 🤠

Thanks for reading, folks! Preorder Gator Country.