Becoming an Author in my 40's by June Faver, author of Cowboy Christmas Homecoming
You know, so often when I tell people I didn’t start writing and publishing until I was in my 40’s, they look at me oddly. Like…why? Why would you wait so long? Honestly, it’s kind of a long and slightly boring story. And while so many people think it’s crazy, there are definitely benefits to having waited.
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Focus. I have more focus now than I did years ago. I’m a wife and mother to two boys who are now fully grown. My time is my own for the most part, and I can put all of my energy into writing.
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Time. Just like I have more focus now that my kids are grown, I also have more time to put into the rest of what being an author is about – going to events and promoting my books. If I had started writing when my kids were younger, there is no way I could have traveled like I do now. It would have killed me to leave my boys and husband alone for sometimes one week every month. Now I can go to signings in other cities/states and know that while my husband misses me, we also don’t mind having a little time to ourselves.
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Maturity. Believe me when I say, you need to be mature enough to handle all that goes into a career in publishing. Deadlines, edits, critiques…my younger self would not have handled any of those things well.
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Life experience. I’m not saying I’ve lived the most exciting life, but there’s something to be said about being older and having more inspiration and experience to draw on when writing. I’ve been married now for almost 30 years, I’ve been in relationships that have not worked out, I’ve sat and listened to friends share their stories about successful and failed relationships and I understand them all now in a way I didn’t when I was younger. I feel like that experiences adds depth to my writing.
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This last one is really hard to put into words but…one of the biggest benefits to becoming a published author after the age of 40? It’s easier to spot the fake friends and phony praise that comes from people in the business. There was a time when I would have been crushed by the lack of sincerity, but now I know it just is part of the whole package. Now I know that sounds dark and negative, but it also means I can spot the true friends and supporters and have found a squad of amazing women I never would have before and I can cherish them.
Cowboy Christmas Homecoming - Dark Horse Cowboys Book 4
This cowboy's finally coming home for Christmas
Zach Garrett is home from war, haunted by PTSD, trying to fit in to what has become an alien world. With the holidays fast approaching, his uncle Big Jim Garrett offers him a place on the family ranch. Zach isn't sure he's up for a noisy, boisterous Garrett Christmas...until he meets beautiful Stephanie Gale, and all his protests go up in flames.
Firefighter and EMT Stephanie Gale is ready for anything. She's got her life under control...until she locks eyes with Zack and realizes her heart's in a whole new kind of danger. But with a little help from Zack's long-lost army dog, maybe he and Stephanie will be able to make this a Christmas of new beginnings after all.
MORE IN THE SERIES
The lucky print book winner is: Yaritza Santana
June Faver loves Texas, from the Gulf coast to the panhandle, from the Mexican border to the Piney Woods. Her novels embrace the heart and soul of the state and the larger-than-life Texans who romp across her pages. A former teacher and healthcare professional, she lives and writes in the Texas Hill Country.
