JM BENAVIDEZ

Perhaps it was the fact that I was an only child raised predominately by my single mother; or that I spent a lot of time by myself playing make believe. Or maybe it was all of those Disney movies that I watched or the books that I read. But before I reached high school I was already a hopeless romantic. There was a prince charming out there for me and he was going to come charging in on his white horse and sweep me off of my feet. Well at age sixteen he didn't come in on a horse, he was standing on the end of a diving board. And maybe he wasn't a prince but he was certainly charming. On July 31, 1999 at nineteen years of age I married my sweetheart and prepared for my happily ever after. Unfortunately, young married life was rough and in between job hunting, working, moving homes, living with family and having children; I found myself longing to once again disappear into the realm of romance and make believe. So I started writing down my fantasy world and weaving fanciful tales.

 

My Momma always said "start like you mean to go on" and I'm here to be a well known author. Now I'm not rich and you don't have to grease my ears to get me through the door, but I have a hard time not dancing around and squealing like a thirteen year old girl at a boy band concert every time I think about what I have accomplished. It may take me awhile to come to a decision, but when I do it, I jump in with both feet. No tipping a toe in to check the water, just dive in and swim for your life. My writing reflects that. Someone once said "Why dream in black and white when you can dream in color?" My writing is inspired by those colorful dreams. When the real world seems lacking in excitement, it is always a joy to take an adventure. As the author, I love journeying with my characters just as much as the reader and I often find it hard to bring those journeys to an end. I am a dreamer, a mother and a hopeless romantic. Come in and dream with me, that we may have an illuminatingly fanciful adventure.