Janet Howle

I wrote my first piece of fiction the summer I was ten-I think. It was a story about a young, bored girl who, despite an otherwise happy childhood, runs away to join a circus. It wasn't a very long story since I couldn't decide if my heroine was going to be a bareback rider or aerialist, but I did know she would wear one of those sparkly, sequined leotards and tights-pink, or maybe purple. I also had no idea how to develop a plot or describe characters.

My teen years weren't particularly remarkable. I wasn't rebellious, well, maybe a little. Fast forward to adulthood. I graduated from the University of Michigan with a BS in physical therapy and immediately specialized in pediatrics. A few years, and a marriage later, I left Michigan for graduate school at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and on completion, joined the faculty there. During these years, both as a clinician and an assistant professor, I wrote a lot of nonfiction, you know, case studies and academic writing, that sort of thing. Okay, maybe academic writing does require a bit of fiction.

I married twice. The first time didn't stick and should be classified as fiction; young, naïve physical therapist marries a soon-to-be doctor. However, the reality of being left without notice by a man I supported through medical school did give me experience in anger, depression, and loss of self-worth. Not my best years, but I learned a valuable lesson, there are things in life for which you will never have an answer and there is nothing to be gained by wallowing in the "why me?"

My second marriage made up for everything I lost in the first round. I married a loving but restless man. While we never joined a circus, there have been many adventures, and it has been a grand success. We are still married after 45 years. During these years, we raised six children, three came along with the marriage and then we adopted a family of three. We moved several times, living in Paris for five years and spent as much time as possible on our sailboat in the Bahamas and Caribbean. We even home-schooled our youngest two sons on our Camper and Nicholson 40.

This sailing experience led to the development of the novel, UNCHARTED. The story was created by the two of us even though it is published under my name. Writing this book made me realize I am not capable of creating alternative universes. I am in awe of those who can. The novel is loosely based on personal experience. The setting, characters, and plot draw on our many years of sailing the Bahamas mixed in with a shady period in the history of these islands. That more or less brings you up to date. Along with my husband, Ed, I am working on a sequel to that novel. It will be awhile until it is even a completed manuscript, but we are hopeful and enjoying this writing thing.