If you know me from my past lives in academia or tech, you might be a tiny bit surprised to find that I'm now trying to make it as an author.
To be honest, I'm a bit surprised, too.
But in hindsight, it makes so much sense. I've always loved creative writing—letters, blog posts, marketing collateral, etc...but most especially, emails. I've spent way too much time drafting and editing emails because I get so much satisfaction out of crafting a really good email, the kind where you're like, "Damn, I just said that [mic drop]," and then have to reread it again because you just got someone so good. (That's part of the reason why I've chosen to write my first three books in first-person—it's what I'm most practiced in.)
To some extent, I've also enjoyed the technical writing that I've done. I can definitely get off on the efficiency of scientific communication, and on the challenge of succinctly explaining difficult, complex topics. Even so, whenever I wrote a journal article or added a chapter to my dissertation, I always had to stifle my natural voice and write dispassionately, to sound as objective as possible.
I am not a dispassionate person (just the opposite), and while I can be objective when I need to, I've always been better at the subjective side of things.
And when it comes to reading, I've almost always preferred reading fiction—especially fantasy, science fiction, and romance—and not research papers (although they're fun when I'm in the mood).
I felt like an impostor in both academia and tech, and while I know that I could have faked it till I made it (I was well on my way to winning an Oscar), it wasn't me.
I am so thrilled to be putting myself out there and trying to contribute to the world, through my voice, in a way that I enjoy so very much. And books were my shelter, my refuge growing up, so the fact that I can build my own shelters, and shelters for others as well, is so empowering. Let's all escape, together!
But more than escaping, writing allows me to share my true self with all of you, and therefore, to build something between us. You know something about me now, and by enjoying my book (and perhaps through literally reaching out to me), I know something about you, and what brings you joy, and how I can be a better friend. There's so much that connects us as people, and I hope that my writing will be the catalyst that brings us closer together.