Honestly, I have been writing, in some form, all of my life. I can't remember a time that I wasn't jotting down random thoughts that would end up in one of my poems. My earlier works were just for fun, and definitely did not earn any recognition. It was a few years before I grasped the use of words, and I'm still playing with the formatting. I rarely write poetry anymore because I gave it up for my true passion: Novels. I didn't start writing novels until a year and a half ago. First, I must explain the circumstances. I developed severe panic attacks about two years ago. Since then, I have barely left my home, I have lost the majority of my friends, and I struggle to do even the simplest of tasks. My best friend, we'll call him "Joe", has been a never-ending supply of support and a great sounding board for all of my work.
I was on the phone with "Joe" one night, and he had me laughing hysterically. We'd decided to flex our imaginations by saying random things that came to our minds, which usually varies between the Purple Pony Bazooka-umbrellas, and the Squirrel Revolution. I suppose it wouldn't make much sense to anyone else, but it has entertained us for the past four years or so. Toward the end of the conversation, I made a comment that had him rolling on the floor with laughter. Once he was able to catch his breath he said, "You should totally write a book, man." I laughed at the joke, telling him that I would be banned from writing children's books, and my imagination is too out of whack for adults.
Four days later, I had my father pick up some notebooks and a package of my favorite pens ( I had no computer at the time), and I started writing what is now my very first novel. I generally stick with Vampyres as my characters, for I seem to absorb information on them and keep it locked in my mind permanently. I think the reason I love it so much is the fact that it's an escape from the harsh reality that I survive on a daily basis. I don't have panic attacks when I write; it's as if my mind is transported into my main character, and I am no longer myself. I suppose some would look at this form of escape with misgivings, saying that I should face my problems. However, I have found it simpler to do so after I have been writing for a few hours. It's a therapeutic way to deal with my chemical imbalance, and I will never be able to stop writing. It's what I love.