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Shawna Quinn
When I was nine I won second place in a national writing competition. Second. Place. Second only to the one kid who blew the judges socks off. Of course they gave the runner-up title to about a doz...view moreWhen I was nine I won second place in a national writing competition. Second. Place. Second only to the one kid who blew the judges socks off. Of course they gave the runner-up title to about a dozen others, but that's besides the point. I loved to write, and somewhere, someone appreciated my words. I went on to get a BA in English with the intention of teaching elementary school. It was here, after all, that I found something "special" in myself. Why not dedicate my life to helping other children find their passion? I traveled to Korea to teach, to test out the profession, and five years later found myself back in Canada with a full passport of stamps and no teaching degree. Life has its way of pulling you in unintended directions sometimes. Back on home soil I met the man that would become my husband, adopted two tiny dachshunds, birthed a daughter, and ended up in lake and wine country, tending to my garden and typing away whenever Violet (my toddler) slept. I always wanted writing to be my vocation (and it has been - from marketing to blogging to curriculum design and creative contributions), but never thought I'd have the courage or the dedication to write (GULP) a whole book.Now, after publishing my first novel, I realize that the heart knows what it wants often before the head does. The head gets caught up in fear and doubt and other people's opinions. In the end, we must follow our hearts, and mine has led me to the path of authorship. It is a salve for the soul, and anyone that may stumble upon my stories and find something valuable, something they can connect with, makes it even more meaningful. Moving a story from the heart to the brain to the world is a beautiful, terrifying, incredible process, and I thank all of those who share it with me.view less