Eloise .

Writing struck me by surprise, somewhere around the fifth grade when my teacher often chose my stories and essays to read aloud to the class. She signed my yearbook with the note, “I’ll be watching for your first published book!”

Four years later, I rediscovered the writing alcove of my soul. Sure, I had written throughout the years: lyrics, poems, stories that I had never finished. This past summer, I went to a four-day writing camp, which was designed to prepare incoming freshmen for the college-preparatory program they were entering. When I went home the first day, that night’s assignment tucked in the crook of my arm, and sat down for two hours to write a three-paragraph essay about my opinion of reading, writing and thought, that something clicked inside me. My “come-to-Jesus” moment as a writer wasn’t dramatic or wildly emotional; it was simply a confirmation in my heart that my words were meant to be written.

I guess you could say that I have a few of the writer-type qualities: I love chai tea, chocolate, indie music, and the idea of growing old with 47 cats. But I’m a normal teenage girl. I swim competitively, play piano, and sing, but school is my first priority. Since I was three, I’ve dreamt of becoming a missionary obstetrician. Writing is my breath, but it’s not my primary career choice (though wouldn’t it be lovely to earn a little on the side).

I write lyrics (and compose accompaniment), poetry (my current infatuation), and the occasional short story. My most recent project is a novel, and all those quotes about loving your characters more than real life people are true: I’m steadily falling for mine. I write for my school newspaper, as well as the sole journalist for my school’s “Campus News,” featured weekly in the county newspaper.

Walt Whitman’s birthday is exactly one day before mine, which I believe has to be fate. (If he was alive today and was in my age range, I’d marry him 1,000 times.) I also love the works of Isabel Allende, Laurie Halse Anderson, Nicholas Sparks, Francine Rivers, and King Solomon’s poems of old. I read mainly poetry, historical fiction, and stories that are true to their ‘realistic fiction’ genre.

With love,

E.