I realized from the age of ten I loved to tell stories. Some of my teachers commented on my creative imagination when I wrote about our dog Butch chasing our car. He thought we were being eaten up by a huge monster and the great satisfaction Butch had when the big monster spit us back out. I told many stories late at night on sleep-outs to my cousins or any friend that would listen. By the time I was thirteen I was writing poems as well. My youth leaders spotted that I had a gift and took one of my poems and published it in our church denominations magazine. All that I dreamed of was writing. It was God who dropped this into my heart, and it is God who still urges me on today.
Many people have encouraged me to keep writing, starting with my youth leaders in church, my mom, along with some very dear cousins and friends. Truth be told, without such encouragement I may have laid this dream down. So it is with a grateful heart to those who have encouraged me to continue on, that I push forward with my dream…and write.
Lauren Harrison