Just who do you think you are?

Isn't that the reason why writers write? To figure out who we are?

This is me (right) and my critique partner the lovely Michele (left- where else?) sipping cosmopolitans at the 2005 RWA Rita/Golden Heart Ceremony in Reno, NV. Given our political views, we really should have switched sides. But I digress...

So, the redhead is me, looking writerly in her glasses--I had lasik in January so I no longer wear them, but you get the idea--anyway, creating blog made me think about all the things I am.

I think someone else made a list like this in her blog, but I can't for the life of me remember who. We were also asked to write a list of the roles we play at a writing workshop once as well. It surprised me how many different things each person came up with.

I'm a daughter. My mother is a wonderful person and after the divorce she raised me on her own, with the help of my grandma. I'm an only child and we are very close. I owe everything I am to her. She's my hero. From her and Grandma I learned that I could be anything I wanted to be if I worked hard enough.

I'm a wife. I've been married to my high school sweetheart for nearly 14 years and we dated 8 years before that. We have a lot of fun together and sometimes it's hard to believe we've been together for so many years. I can't imagine my life without Abner my honey.

I'm an activist. I support the Democratic Party and Progressive Issues. I'm Pro-Choice, Pro-Environment and Pro-Union. My new issue is Breast Cancer. My best friend was diagnosed with BC in February. She's doing very well--an inspiration to all who know her actually--but her treatment will be long and hard. Ladies, she would tell you not to forget to do your monthly self-exams. Breast cancer strikes one in 7 women. Please check out our fundraiser at: www.themichelefund.com We're auctioning off some great autographed books, critiques, craft items and other things. Feel free to contact me if you'd like to donate a book, critique, craft item or anything else for our auction.

I'm an aunt. I love my nephews and my new little niece. It's the best of both worlds having a niece and nephews but not having the responsibility, stress, worry (the noise!) or expense of being a parent. Thank you to my sisters-in-law for having them for me. :)

I'm a pet owner. (Who am I kidding? They own me!) No kids for us, thank you, but I loooooovvve my pets. We have a dog, Nikita ^-^and a cat, Rutherford >^.^< . I'm sure I'll be posting pictures of them very soon. My furry babies are quite photogenic.

I'm a friend. I have friends in many different places, some old and some new. I have a particular group of friends who I e-mail nearly every day and I hold very close to my heart. I'm an only child, but they are my chosen sisters. I try to be as good to my sisters as they are to me, but it's impossible really. I don't know what I ever did to deserve them, but I'm eternally grateful for B, B, C, C, D, H, K, M, P, P & R.

I'm a writer. I tried writing my first novel when I was in elementary school. I picked up the pen again in high school and again when I turned 30. I haven't put it down since. I've always wanted to be published, but I'd write even if I knew I'd never sell my novels. Writing is in my soul. My current work in progress is a Fantasy. I'm rewriting it at the moment. I've also written a couple of really bad contemporary romances as well as plotting and writing a few chapters of a Historical romance. Perhaps I'll go back to those when I'm done with the fantasy.

I'm a moderator. I was recently asked to be one of the moderators in Jennifer Crusie's new Cherry Forum. I'm so honored to be a member of such a fantastic group. We call ourselves the cherries. (You may have seen us at RWA events sporting cherry jewelry and making a general nuisance of ourselves.) I've learned more about writing from Jenny Crusie and the cherries in the last few years than in all my years of school and in all the craft books I've ever read combined.

I'm a cherry. Cherry Red to be exact. For me the cherry symbol has come to represent even more than our fabulous online workshop, but writing itself. Every time I look at one of my numerous cherry items, I am reminded that I am a writer. My cherry collection is extensive.

I'm a working woman. I'm a Purchaser at a non-profit and I spend my days looking for bargains. There is nothing more satisfying than finding a great deal on a product we need and knowing that the money I saved the company will enable us to help more people.

I'm a volunteer. I'm a member of my local RWA chapter OCC/RWA and I've worked on the Published Author constest the last 3 years in a row. I've also been known to stuff envelopes, make phone calls and march in a ralley or two with Planned Parenthood. I was honored to be one of the one million, two-hundred-thousand marchers in the March For Women's Lives in Washington DC in April of 2004. I won a scholarship to attend by writing an essay. Which brings it all back to writing, doesn't it?

Current mood- feisty