Writing a book – Irene Onorato

If I could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Interesting question, and one that made me put on my thinking cap.

After working in many places in the U.S., a job opportunity brought us to Louisiana. When our kids were grown, life threw us a curveball, and the job that brought us here vanished. For a period of time, we stewed over our misfortune and wondered what to do.

And then…

Out of the blue, (As an aside, let me explain. I interpret the phrase “Out of the blue” to mean “Then God stepped in.”), a former coworker called to let us know that both hubby and I were invited to submit our resumés to a power plant in Plymouth, Massachusetts. We did so, and bada-bing, bada-boom, we were accepted.

Plymouth proved to be a lovely, quaint seaside town. Friendly people, squawking seagulls, beaches, parks, and loads of history which included a replica of the Mayflower and Plimoth Plantation, a “living” museum of sorts where actors reinacted life as it was back in the 1600’s.

Despite having good jobs and living in a beautiful, peaceful town, pieces of our hearts were empty without our family – which now included grandchildren we seldom got to see.

After five years, we retired and returned to Louisiana.

Yes, Plymouth was lovely. The Rocky Mountains of Colorado had been breathtaking. The Great Lakes up north were awe-inspiring. And we’ll always remember the rolling hills of Pennsylvania dotted with Amish farmland with a degree of fondness.

But in the end, Toto, there’s no place like home. For us, home means family. Traveling is nice, but in truth, I’d rather stay right here. With them.

securedownload — Me, before retiring from my position as radiation protection technician at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

“So, what do you do for a living?”

The question seems to be a kick-starter for dialogue when meeting someone for the first time. The awkwardness of the moment melts when you have something, anything, to talk about.

Recently, at a social gathering, I was intrigued by a man who said he was a retired US Air Force fighter pilot. His Viet Nam era Top Gun stories (yes, really) had me and a small gathering of others riveted to his every word. By far, he’d had the most interesting career of anyone in the room. None of us had ever flown at supersonic speeds, and not a single person in the room had ever had a missile fired at them.

“So, what do you do for a living?” someone asked me later that evening.

I told them I was retired, left out the details of my career, and said, “And now I’m pursuing a career as a writer of romance novels.”

Amazingly enough, the person didn’t squeeze a social yawn out of her eyeballs and walk away. Instead, her eyes widened and she said, “Really? I’ve always wanted to write a book.”

I’m meeting more and more people with the same dream. We want to leave an indelible mark on the fabric of time. Something to say, I was here. Here are my thoughts. My hopes, my dreams, the things I think about.

If you’re one of those people who would tell me you’ve always wanted to write a book, here’s my advice: Write. That. Book. Get your thoughts down on paper or into the computer and save every jot and tittle. Worry about what you’re going to do with your masterpiece later.

Never give up on your dreams. Ever.

Tag: Writing a book

I’d Rather Stay Here

“So, what do you do for a living?”