Rebecca Clare Smith
Aspiring fantasy author.
Unpublished. Unimaginative. Unpleasant.
Well, at least one of those statements is true and a good way to start a bio.
My other option was to pretend this is my profile for Writers Anonymous, which is my imaginary version of Alcoholics Anonymous except writing is the addiction. In some cases, I guess it could be doubled up as Alcoholic Writers… but enough of that.
So you clicked to find out about me. Either you’re really bored or you’re genuinely interested and I hope to help with both of these problems in this short summary of my twenty-one year life span and the personality that developed forthwith.
I’m English and sadly I conform to quite a few of the related stereotypes. I like tea, queuing and complaining about the weather. To be more specific I’m from Yorkshire. Unfortunately this is where I let you down on the stereotype front. I don’t have whippets, I don’t like cricket and I don’t cycle down cobbled hills in shorts and a flat cap just to buy a loaf of bread. I do, however, have five cats and two West Highland Terriers (Westies) and an affinity for Kettle Crisps.
I went to school in both Scarborough and Driffield. After sixth form college I had a short foray into the retail world, which was brutally cut short by the poisoned blade of the recession. Then I tried Hull University, training to be a primary school teacher. All of these were really stupid ideas keeping me from what I’m truly passionate about.
Hatpins. I just love hatpins.
I’m joking. I like hats, but I’ve never had a hatpin in my life. Maybe I’ll get one someday.
My revelation was something much more complicated. I decided I needed to stop pretending to myself about who I am.
I’m a writer.
So what if I’m not published? I’m a writer in my heart. I’ve been writing stories since before I could physically write them down (various family members thus suffered hours of writing out my monologues). It’s passion that creates the idea of a writer and determination that makes them real.
So I became a lollipop lady.
It was a great job. I helped kids cross the road safely at school times and removed my fluorescent cape to write in between. I would have loved to stay there doing that for a long time, but sadly there were these financial reasons whereby I couldn't forever. At least I got to become the youngest lollipop lady (American's apparently referred to us as crossing guards?) my county (state) had ever had.
Now I'm a waitress, instead, at a great restaurant with a really good team - & I no longer live at home - so things are going pretty well. Furthermore, I have more peace and time to get some writing done.
Maybe I’m not published yet, but I’ll try my hardest to achieve my dream instead of pretending to be someone I’m not. And I’ll drink a lot of tea along the way.
I hope if you’re reading this you want to support me through that.
So I’ll finish this rather eclectic bio with my thanks.
Thank you!
