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My mother once said I was born
with a pen in one hand and a book in the other. While this
was probably hyperbole, it captures the spirit of truth.
This was thanks in part to my grandmother and great aunts,
who played reading and storytelling games with me from the
time I was able to toddle. Reading and writing were like
breathing to me, but teaching was my first vocation. I went to Tennessee
Technological University in Cookeville, obtained a
Bachelor's degree in Special Education, and met Michael
Hicks, the man who would later become my husband. (Like Mary Poppins, Mike is practically
perfect in every way.) I used to think I could write and teach at the same time. But if you have ever taught, you know it demands your whole heart. I loved every one of my students, but at the end of the day, I could barely haul myself to the couch and say, "Please pass the Oreos." After twelve years of teaching (eleven in a self-contained classroom and one in a class for teenagers with normal intelligence and reading disabilities), I left the classroom to pursue my other lifelong dream of becoming a writer. It was a difficult decision, driven largely by health concerns. I told myself--still tell myself--that when I've established myself as a writer, I will develop an intensive summer reading and writing workshop for dyslexic teenagers. In the meantime, I'd heard that you have to write a million words before you become a great writer. To that end, I set a goal of 1,000 words a day. I don't always make it, but I have finally chipped away at it until I have my million words. I don't know if I'm a great writer, but I hope that every day makes me a better one. I'm a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Private Eye Writers of America, and the Tennessee Writers Alliance. While researching Too Close to Evil, I attended the Citizen Police Academy, took the medical examiner to lunch, and became a certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist (the perfect pastime for a nervous rider with a passion for horses). I currently live in Nashville, Tennessee with my husband and our menagerie--two dogs, a cat, and two African Grey parrots. No horses yet, but I'm still hoping. I'm available for signings and seminars. Topics include “Crafting Characters,” “Fast First Drafts,” “The Joy of Revision,” and “On Beyond Grafton: Other Modern Mystery Writers Worth Knowing.” If you're interested in any of the above, please contact me at "author at elizabeth terrell dot com." Just close the spaces and replace "at" and "dot" with the appropriate symbols.) |
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