Getting to know me...
Where should I begin? Well for starters, I was born and raised in Gary, Indiana. A small midwest town known for its Steel Mills and yes, Michael Jackson. I grew up in a household of five, myself, my mother and father, my older sister, and the youngest in our family, my baby brother. You often hear that being the middle child means you are the forgotten one or forever doomed to get the worst of the worst, of everything! Not sure who made up that tall tale, but it's the furthest from the truth. As a shy, skinny, and often awkward kid, I didn't really know where I fit in. I was very meek and never the one to speak up, about anything. Without knowing what my voice and passion would eventually be, I immersed myself into the fascination I had with books.
It was the early 80s and the grade school I attended had annual book fairs. After begging my mother for money to buy something, anything really, I was on a mission! What I saw from the corner of my eye would forever change my life. The book was quite different, purple in color and it had a lock and key. It was a diary! I absolutely had to have it, but I also wanted another book as well. Having enough money for only one, I started to believe that middle child myth. So, I bought the diary and my imagination took flight. In later years I ripped the pages from that very diary as I cringed reading the thoughts that swirled around my early teen mind. I would give anything to have those pages in my hand today. As the years continued, I wrote from time to time. Sending most of what I was thinking to others and scribbling the rest for myself. The feeling of the keyboard underneath my fingertips always allowed me an escape into that imagination I had when I was a little girl. The year was 2018. I wanted and needed to create a platform to share and tell the stories that have never stopped swirling in mind. AJ's Diary came to life to bring you my creative storytelling, my imagination, and my love for the gift of writing. As I claim with great certainty, I have finally found my voice. I'm so happy you stopped by, get cozy and stay for a while. ✨ |