My second husband encouraged me to go to a writing group at our local theatre. It was my 'coming out of the closet' moment.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
My interest in the theater led me to my first writing experience as an adult. My husband David wrote the music and lyrics and I wrote the book for a children's musical, 'Spacenapped' that was produced by a neighborhood theater in Brooklyn.
I was inadvertently raised in the 'gay community.' I had straight parents, but I spent massive amounts of time at a very early age with gay, theater-hopeful thirty-somethings.
Having a day job again I found really kind of fueled my fiction, because it became almost this forbidden thing where I had to sneak off and do it in private.
I got into theatre very early, so yes I was surrounded by gay people quite early and frequently.
My two brothers and I grew up in the theater, going everywhere with my parents when they performed.
I got married, other people went off. We had sort of another public-we were our entire readership for many years, and we were very excited by each other.
I've really written my books for my husband and our family. They've brought us closer together by allowing us to discuss things that were unspoken for so long.
I was heavily involved in musical theater.
I had some experience writing collaboratively when I wrote for the theatre.
My interest in theatre and storytelling began in my mother's kitchen. It was a meeting place for my mother's large circle of friends.