I’m just a 37-year-old guy who always loved writing, but was always too intimated to actually sit down and commit myself to it. I wrote a little in college, but never followed through with it, pursuing other interests – mainly Art.
A few years ago, due to me whining about never having any time to explore my writing, a good friend of mine convinced me to invest in a laptop and write during my commute on the Long Island Railroad. It takes about an hour each way. Of course I was pessimistic about the whole idea: “I’ll just end up falling asleep … It’ll make me nauseous to write in a moving vehicle … the rude people on their cell phones will be too distracting …”
As luck would have it, my niece, Jillian, had just purchased a laptop. I asked her if I could borrow it for 1 day, just to see if I could write on the train. I loved it! As soon as I began to write, I knew I needed to see this novel through. So, I asked my incredibly supportive wife if we could purchase a laptop and the rest is history.
It only took a few months to write out all of the scenes, but it would be a total of two and half years before Willow would be ready to be shared with others. I needed to research a lot of what I wrote, build bridges between scenes, flesh out the personality of each character, correct the grammar, etc. I could only work on it during my commute, evenings at home and during my daughter’s naptime on the weekends. Little by little I chipped away at the details of the story. It took a long time, but here is the coolest thing about writing this novel: It never once – never, ever – felt like work. It was never a chore; it never felt like a homework assignment. It helped me to realize what I truly enjoy doing as a creative outlet. Sure, I still love art, but writing this story has brought me more joy than any other creative project I have ever worked on. Does this make me a writer? I try not to look at it that way. I only took a few writing classes in college, many moons ago. I just think of myself as a guy who loves telling stories.
How did I come up with the character of Willow Krimble? About six years ago, during one of my grandmother’s many stints in the hospital due to pneumonia, I found myself thinking on the train how I wish I could just make her better; just heal her so she could come home. I can only guess that many people have had similar experiences while coping with a sick or injured loved one. Thankfully my grandmother recovered and it would be about two more years before she lost a battle with another case of pneumonia. During that time, I simply thought about the story of this character with no name. It was probably about a year after my grandmother’s death where I finally began penning (or typing) the story of a girl with the power to heal. Like I said earlier, I was quite intimidated by the idea of writing a full novel. Once I began this story, it just took on a life of its own.
As for the art, it took several months of late nights at home to complete the cover and chapter icons, but it was all worth it.
So, there you have it. The story of Willow Krimble is complete, or is it? I have recently begun working on a second novel about Willow, Razzel and Shayla. I love the characters and I am currently exploring the possibility of another story. I feel like there is still so much they can teach me, so wish me luck. For now, I hope you enjoyed reading “A Girl Named Willow Krimble” half as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
Giuseppe Bianco lives in Long Island, New York with his wife, Lorraine, and his daughter, Brianna.
A few years ago, due to me whining about never having any time to explore my writing, a good friend of mine convinced me to invest in a laptop and write during my commute on the Long Island Railroad. It takes about an hour each way. Of course I was pessimistic about the whole idea: “I’ll just end up falling asleep … It’ll make me nauseous to write in a moving vehicle … the rude people on their cell phones will be too distracting …”
As luck would have it, my niece, Jillian, had just purchased a laptop. I asked her if I could borrow it for 1 day, just to see if I could write on the train. I loved it! As soon as I began to write, I knew I needed to see this novel through. So, I asked my incredibly supportive wife if we could purchase a laptop and the rest is history.
It only took a few months to write out all of the scenes, but it would be a total of two and half years before Willow would be ready to be shared with others. I needed to research a lot of what I wrote, build bridges between scenes, flesh out the personality of each character, correct the grammar, etc. I could only work on it during my commute, evenings at home and during my daughter’s naptime on the weekends. Little by little I chipped away at the details of the story. It took a long time, but here is the coolest thing about writing this novel: It never once – never, ever – felt like work. It was never a chore; it never felt like a homework assignment. It helped me to realize what I truly enjoy doing as a creative outlet. Sure, I still love art, but writing this story has brought me more joy than any other creative project I have ever worked on. Does this make me a writer? I try not to look at it that way. I only took a few writing classes in college, many moons ago. I just think of myself as a guy who loves telling stories.
How did I come up with the character of Willow Krimble? About six years ago, during one of my grandmother’s many stints in the hospital due to pneumonia, I found myself thinking on the train how I wish I could just make her better; just heal her so she could come home. I can only guess that many people have had similar experiences while coping with a sick or injured loved one. Thankfully my grandmother recovered and it would be about two more years before she lost a battle with another case of pneumonia. During that time, I simply thought about the story of this character with no name. It was probably about a year after my grandmother’s death where I finally began penning (or typing) the story of a girl with the power to heal. Like I said earlier, I was quite intimidated by the idea of writing a full novel. Once I began this story, it just took on a life of its own.
As for the art, it took several months of late nights at home to complete the cover and chapter icons, but it was all worth it.
So, there you have it. The story of Willow Krimble is complete, or is it? I have recently begun working on a second novel about Willow, Razzel and Shayla. I love the characters and I am currently exploring the possibility of another story. I feel like there is still so much they can teach me, so wish me luck. For now, I hope you enjoyed reading “A Girl Named Willow Krimble” half as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
Giuseppe Bianco lives in Long Island, New York with his wife, Lorraine, and his daughter, Brianna.
