I began my writing career when my Daddy got sick and was diagnosed with Lewy-Body Dementia. The medical community was uninformed about this new dementia, as was the general public. So I decided to develop a brochure for families that were faced with LBD. After I did, I gave them to families I knew needed the information, and word got around I had literature on the disease. The State of Ala asked to have it, so I gave it to them to put on file.

Then I felt the need to speak out more and wrote an article on it, sent it in to a local magazine. Two days later they called and wanted to print it. AND PAY ME! I said to myself, "People get paid to do this?" hm... They also asked if I had anything else. I lied and said, "oh yeah, plenty." They said send it in for review. I said, "huh?" So I quickly sat down at lunch, wrote about what I had done that very day, which was overeating at a buffet. "Puffy, the Buffet Slayer." They asked for more and the next thing I know, I'm writing for them monthly. Now I am their beloved humorist. Uh huh...sure am. Beloved. That's me all right. Every month they say, "Hey..girlfriend..we would LOVE for you to get your stuff here on time, k?" SEE?

After relaxing with this gig, I ventured out into the internet and entered my Lunch Hour Specials into contest, other writing sites, etc. I picked up another column at Universal Publications, but after about six months, I dropped that column. I didn't like having to beg to get paid.

They say that everyone has a talent. I've always wondered what my niche was in the world, and now I feel that it's writing. Some would argue that I'm wrong and need to stick with budget analyses...Like my boss. HA! Fat chance...

I live, breathe and eat a lot when I'm writing and I would rather be writing than doing anything in this entire world. I write so much my family is gun-shy about talking to me. Nothing is sacred either. If my Mom calls and says, "you know, my hemmroids are killing me...she usually adds, AND DON'T YOU GO WRITING ABOUT IT EITHER!" Of course I make her no guarantees...

Soooo...in closing I just want to thank everybody who made this possible...I did win something, right?

JJ