In the Beginning...

I had crappy handwriting. The crappiest, I guess since every one of my elementary school report cards were very "concerned" about my handwriting. I also wasn't a great speller. I can remember the frustration, the near tears, one day when I couldn't spell the word 'church'. Phonetically it didn't look right... I just couldn't get it.
Because of the bad handwriting and spelling challenges, I was considered a terrible writer. Somehow my teachers couldn't get past mechanics to look at the actual story. Papers I wrote were never praised for content just bled red from errors.

Needless to say, I never never considered myself a writer. I spent so much time editing and trying to spell things right, I had lost all of my energy for actual writing. It was just not there.
But I did love me some great writing. I knew great writing when I saw it. I still do.
Someone once told me, "Good writers ride on the backs of better writers. Find writers you love and ride on their backs till you find your way."

Lucky for me, I know some great writers. That is so cool to get to say... I KNOW some great writers. I don't just admire them from afar... I KNOW them. Ginger for instance! If you haven't been reading her stories from Vacation Bible School, you are missing out on greatness.
And then there was RLP. Ginger actually turned me on to RLP and his honest, no bullshit look at church and religion. I can't just name one favorite story by Gordon Atkinson... I would have to name 5, or 10, or 100!!
And then RLP read this crappy catalog and decided he would quit preaching and go visit Hugh.
And I discovered the world of the Hughman.
How amazing is his writing? He totally looks at world in his own way. Right then and there, I discovered a kindred spirit! He wrote things I thought! I didn't just like Hugh's writing, I adored it. I soaked up every word, like a little kid learning how to play with a new toy.
Hugh's writing spoke to me... It blessed me. It made me laugh. And I love love to laugh.

Last summer, RLP changed his site and created a chat room. The chat reminded me of the after college days when The Circle of Friends and I were scattered to the four corners and we would try to meet and chat to catch up on each other’s lives.
And one day, it happened. THE Hugh Elliott stopped by to chat.
I was floored! It couldn't have been cooler if a movie star had popped in to chat.
THE Hugh Elliott, writer extraordinaire was there, talking to ME. Wow. I was overwhelmed.
I was beside myself. I was the groupie! I was the star struck girl... wanna be writer. Here in my midst was Hugh!

And that was just the beginning, as they say, of a beautiful friendship together...

Part two coming up. :)