Sunday, August 06, 2006

Things to Do

I'm just about to look at the corrected galleys for Things to Do and I suppose because of events in the last few weeks it's made me feel reflective today.
Things to Do has a very special dedication. I dedicated it to a woman who sadly is no longer here but in my youth she was both my friend and my mentor.
I met Betty Warneck when I was 13 at my local writers group, right from the start we hit it off. She was a woman with immense personality, larger than life and full of energy. She was one of the first people to believe that I could write and she took an interest right up until her death. A writer herself she wanted to publish a book which told the story of her son, Paul, and his battle to overcome spina bifida.
She succeeded. Betty believed you could achieve anything if you applied your talent, were prepared to learn and worked hard.
Things to Do is for her, with love.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's amazing that someone as young as 13 had the pluck to take herself of to a writers' group. I didn't realise you'd started so young! I'm intrigued. Are there any writers in your family or did the interest come out of the blue?
Janet

Anonymous said...

Nell, that was one beautiful dedication.

Lis said...

*hugs* Beautiful dedication Nell!
Very cool you started writing at 13, I dabbled at 16 for awhile writing Danielle Steel type stuff *g*

Jessica Raymond said...

I bet she would be so proud of you *hug* x

Nell Dixon said...

I'm the only writer but there are lots of very keen readers and at that age I'd already had several poems published in various places. I loved to write and saw a notice on the board and realised there were other people like me so I went along.