Why I Started Writing:

I discovered my desire to write while taking an English literature class in college. My professor said I had a knack for details and should expand on it. That was my cue, but pursuing a writing path was not in my headspace at the time. Instead, I obtained a bachelor's degree in computer science and pushed on to a career in IT. But my passion for writing never left me. 

Through the years, I took writing classes, attended conferences, and wrote a treatment for a documentary film. Many times over, people told me I should write. Well, I did - hand wrote an entire book, then transposed it onto a laptop with a first draft of edits. When the laptop crashed, I could not recover the book. An omen, I thought. I wasn't meant to be an author. 

As I increased my faith walk, so did the desire to write. In fact, the writing pursued me. A hunger developed that wouldn't go away as I watched the world unravel at the seams over time. It was then I decided to pick up the pen. 

Being a late bloomer, this is a second career for me. I’m enjoying every aspect of fiction writing. The creative flow of ideas, the research, building the protagonists, plots and sub plots, working with an editor and rearranging scenes, is all a part of the process and I love every bit of it. 

Authors Who Have Influenced Me:

Essentially, I love reading thought provoking books, especially espionage and science fiction. Nowadays, the only time I have to read is when I’m on a plane. However, here are a few of the many books I’ve managed to read over the years, Richard Bach (Illusions, and A Bridge Across Forever), Paolo Coelho (The Alchemist), Ernest Hemingway (The Old Man and the Sea), Stephen R. Donaldson (The Wounded Land, The One Tree), Brian Godawa (Chronicles of the Nephilim), C. S. Lewis (The Screwtape Letters, Out of the Silent Planet), J. R. R. Tolkien (Lord of the Rings), Octavia Butler (Patternmaster), Joel C. Rosenberg, (The Third Target), Chuck Missler (I, Jesus, Beyond Time & Space), Umberto Eco (The Name of the Rose), Tom Clancy(The Hunt for Red October, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears), and John Grisham (The Firm, A Time To Kill). 

Books I Have Written:

The Given Path Trilogy (Rage Against The Machine), my first novel, and installation of a trilogy, published by Elk Lake Publishing. 

What I'm Working On Now:

While I take a break from writing blogs for my website, I’ve completed the preliminary outline for the second installation of The Given Path Trilogy (In Between Human) and after some additional research, I expect to begin writing in early 2025. Please feel free to check out a few of my blogs at: https://www.hmeadowhopewell.com/hariet-s-blog.