My writing roots

 I was born in Lebanon, the majestic land of the evergreen Cedar tree; the iconic symbol of strength in our flag and the resilience of its people. After a short journey in my birth land, I moved to the United States where I reside today with my beloved family. My writing adventure started at an early age, when I noted my diaries because I had so much to say about the world but had not found my voice just yet. Taking English as a second language in high school was a challenge that pushed me to meet new people and to learn about life in a whole new country and not just from a new language’s perspective. During my senior year, my English professor was kind enough to allow me to get creative and teach our class for a single period. Even though my heart was trembling, I was excited to fill in his dedicated profession, if even for one hour. But even then, I didn’t realize that writing was my passion not until a few years later when a Turkish drama series changed the course of my plans. 

Aside from writing, it has been my dream since I was ten years old to work behind the scenes of the big screen, editing, directing and anything that falls in between. That’s when the Turkish show came in to stir the pot of surprises. From a Facebook page to a group of fans, I met so many wonderful viewers from around the globe who gathered on the internet weekly to watch the translated show on YouTube. Together, we shared our thoughts with one another and sometimes our frustration with the writers for not giving us; the fans the plot twists we desired when I stepped up to the plate to tie the loose ends of the original story. Although my initial offer was no more than a joke, I found myself diving through the long pages of my own version. Many likes and overwhelming words of encouragement later, I discovered my love for fiction writing. 

Though my discovery did not end here. Because I was driven by the excitement of the venture itself, like love at first sight, I decided to publish my work in dedication to the show but mostly to the actor who inspired me to write my first story ever. At the time, I knew nothing about the publishing industry nor did I receive a professional advice, and so I took my first step forward trusting myself and my instinct with the best wishes at heart. With self-publishing being the only option, A Lovers Destiny was born in 2011 (Revised with a new title in 2015) A signed copy was sent to the actor who in return published an article in the newspaper mentioning me and my novella. It sounds so exciting, right? Yes! It sure was but it also caught me off guard too, as it got the ball of imagination rolling, I learned the Turkish language on my own and self-published again my second novella Between The Lines Of Tango in 2014. 

As a full time mother and wife, my priority is to care for my family first and so I’ve taken a long time off from writing to focus on the precious moments which will only come by once. That being said, no matter how many months or years have passed, I always find my way back to writing, even if I’m not ready to share my work with the world just yet, I’m still writing one way or another, in between work hours, busy weekends, or even during a lunch break. I always have an idea brewing in my heart and waiting to come to life, if not today, tomorrow or perhaps the day after.