I have known Marie Ann Bailey almost since the first day I started blogging. We somehow connected and then collaborated on a simupublished set of posts on the Top Ten Things Not to Do. We wrote and published over a year’s worth of the posts. Marie was the creator of not only mutual publishing but also the idea of ten things not to do. “There are plenty of Top Ten to-do lists,” she said. How about a Top Ten Not to Do list?”  We both loved the idea; the feature was born and continues today.

You can see why I’m excited and grateful that Marie volunteered for this tour. The link to her post is here.

A little more about Marie in her words.

“I am a writer living in the southeastern United States with two cats, more yarn than I can knit up in a lifetime, and a dear husband who doubles as my best friend.

My writing career started in the fourth grade when I was asked to read aloud a story I wrote. Since then, I’ve taken creative writing classes whenever possible, joined writing groups and literary guilds, and participated in readings.  Still, in spite of the support I received from mentors and fellow writers, lack of self-confidence made it easy for me to give up on writing. Once I got a “real” job (in an office with a biweekly paycheck and benefits), it was hard to argue with anyone that I should or could expect to do better by writing.

I’ve made a lot of detours in the past thirty years, trying to become a Professional whatever (social worker, data analyst), trying to believe in careers and working in offices and 401k’s.  But now that I’m retired, I’ve woken up to the fact that those things–career, working in an office, going to meetings, conferences–has little value for me. My writing has picked up, as have my publications.

In my ideal world, I’m always dressed for yoga, writing until I’m empty of words, knitting down my stash, reading up my leaning tower of to-be-read books, and cuddling with my husband and kitties.”

Marie didn’t mention that she is an accomplished photographer as well.

I have turned off comments so you can leave them with Marie.