But why should you care about my silly musings anyway?
"You have quite the imagination, son."
I heard these words often growing up. If you're a writer, or if you know one, this probably sounds pretty familiar: for as long as I can remember, I've always loved telling stories. From talking my parents' ears off about my day or coming up with fun little... lies... to mess with my sister. And of course, playing out "what-if" scenarios with my friends.
I started reading in kindergarten, and developed quite the voracious appetite for words. Upon the release of a new Harry Potter book, I'd disappear into my room for days until it was finished - and it didn't take many. I looked forward to English class, and even the essays that came with it (and not to brag, but my grades weren't half bad). But creative writing was always my favorite. On my shelf, I still have a short story I wrote that was printed into book form as part of a 5th grade project. And growing up at home, I was always writing something in my free time.
Long before Welcome to Wis' Apothecary, I knew I wanted to be an author.
It wasn't until high school that I found newspaper, and a love for journalism. A different kind of writing, but storytelling nonetheless. And that passion was further fostered in college, where I discovered broadcast journalism. Broadcast journalism, where we don't just use words to tell stories, but video and sound too. It allowed me to fire off on all my creative cylinders. And that's how I became a multimedia journalist, where I get to share stories every day. It's a dream, and an absolute blessing.
The early days! One of my first interviews ever, circa 2016
So... what exactly do I plan to muse about here?
Anything, really. They're just musings, after all. But because no one likes to just listen to other people talk about themselves, hopefully I'll be able to make my thoughts entertaining or valuable for you. I'm a new author, and compared to many of my talented colleagues, a pretty young journalist too. So I'm not trying to sound self-important, but I think promoting myself is important too.
First and foremost, I'd love to use this space to offer insights into the world of Wis' Apothecary, and add interesting tidbits about Isabel and company that may not be able to fit into the pages of my books. Of course, I can also tease future stories - book two is already well underway - and reflect on this new and exciting adventure as a self-published author.
What's life like for a multimedia journalist? How hard was it to self-publish, and is there any advice I can offer to help you get started? What's my creative process like, or where do I draw inspiration from? These are all topics I could see myself exploring here.
Additionally, I still love to read, and would be happy to share any book, comic or manga recommendations with any who are interested! But is there anything else you'd care to hear me muse about? Drop me a comment, and let me know!
Sharing my love for storytelling
Storytelling is an ancient practice, an integral part of what makes humanity so incredible. It's evolved, and so have we. But no matter the century, the love for a good story is universal. Hopefully here, in this space and time, we can share in that love together.
My goal is a blog post a week (fingers crossed), so come check in often! And don't be afraid to comment or reach out, because I would really love to hear your musings as well. If you haven't had the chance to check out Welcome to Wis' Apothecary, your support would mean the world. It can be found on Amazon, or in local bookstores across Rochester if you're here in the Finger Lakes.
And if you have, whether you liked what you read or not - though hopefully it's the former - let me take this opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Be on the lookout for book two later this year! I can't wait to share more later.
Finally, for those interested in my news, give me a follow on Twitter, @AFreemanNews. Of course I'll have updates about author appearances and future books here, but feel free to follow @WisApothecary on Facebook or Twitter for the latest too.
I hope everyone has a great week, and we'll muse together very soon. Please look forward to it!