Creative writing

Did you rely on any formal training or schooling in writing along the way to your debut book, or are you a self-taught artist?
I took a few creative writing classes in college, but nothing really beyond that.  I thought about what type of story I wanted to write, and just did it.  There were many trial and errors like I explained earlier.  Eventually, I found the story I wanted to write.
 
Was there a writing craft book that helped Behind the Mirage appear in your everyday life?
 No writing craft book, just my own thoughts and imagination.
 
How did your work habits to create the novel change over time?
Journals and notebooks hide in boxes in my closet.  I have recently opened those cherished things and reminisce on what use to be.  How the story started, and what it turned out to be.  I will tell you, completely different.  I never really imagined that Behind the Mirage would actually end up where it is today.  I dreamed of where I wanted it to go, but I never allowed it to get beyond that point. 

I would never let anyone read my book, or any of my stories.  I was too afraid someone would not like it, and then I would give up.  There are many times I have to admit that I did give up.  I stopped writing altogether for over twenty years.  What can I say?  Life happened.

Mythology gave me the idea for the book; the different stories, intertwining.  However, it wasn’t a book that was magically brought together page by page.  The idea for Lex being an assassin stated out by her just being a soldier.  I eventually wanted her to be almost one of a kind so I found that being an assassin for Oberon might give her a bit of an edge.  The whole writing process was handled differently too.  I would write different scenes and begin to weave them together.  The ending always came first, then the beginning.  I would struggle with the middle; bringing everything together.  I cannot tell you how many changes the book went through before the final.