Christine McIntee

I am attending a writer’s conference in a few days with the goal of networking, learning new techniques, and gaining confidence. To prepare for this, I decided to create a professional website for my work. I’ll be attending the conference as a volunteer, hoping to participate in as many activities as possible when time allows. I’m nervous, excited, and still deciding what to wear.

My interest in meeting other writers sparked when I began working on a novel last fall. Writing has always been a significant part of my life, with a drawer full of notebooks I’ve filled over the years. However, the idea of sharing or publishing my work seemed like a naive fantasy, one that was born in my childhood. I chose a more ‘practical’ and ‘realistic’ path, earning a degree in cybersecurity. It was only last year that I realized an important truth – childhood dreams can come true.

The novel I’m working on was inspired by my time on campus. The protagonist is Temperance Gully, a computer science professor who feels trapped by the path she has chosen. Not only does she have the weight of the world on her shoulders and inner demons to battle, but another kind of demon appears. And people start dying. Temperance thought the only thing on the line was her happiness; now, it’s her students’ lives. This book explores the ways we cope with the horrors of life, death, isolation, and fear.

While I work on my novel every day, I also want to write more short stories, read more books about the craft of writing, meet more authors, and become more comfortable sharing my writing. So, thank you for reading my writing and joining me on this journey!