I am a writer, artist, and entrepreneur.  I knew I wanted to be a writer at the age of seven.  My second grade teacher gave us a workbook consisting of pictured story boards for which we were assigned to write a story.  I looked forward to the activity each week and my stories were always selected to be read before the class.  One day after class, I asked her, “What do they call people who write stories?”  She said, “Writers and when you write a book, they call you an author.”  I went home that day and told my mother, “I am going to be a writer when I grow up.”  Little did I know; I was already a writer.

In college, I had fun.  I discovered my voice as writer, poet, performance artist, party girl, and more.  I saw the infinite possibilities of writing and where it could take me creatively.  I discovered dormant talents I had for improvisation, spoken word poetry, acting, and songwriting.

Years later, after college, I was told, “Welcome to the real world. Get a job.”  In the “real” world, I worked as a teacher at a detention center for boys, banker in a casino, and a grant writer.  Living in the Big City of New Orleans, I started a business writing grants and business plans as well as a second personal development business (at the time) called Blue Lotus Living.  Then Hurricane Katrina happened and while stuck in a natural disaster on a rooftop of my townhome for days something broke inside of me.

After I was rescued along with my best friend and roommate at the time, something changed in me.  I decided the real world sucked.  It was then I pledged to use my gifts and talents.  Awakened to what really mattered in life, my best friend Roslyn and I re-established Blue Lotus Living as a company and community on the leading edge of the Visionary Consciousness Movement serving as a voice for Artists with a vision.   I have returned to my creative writing roots and although I’ve always been a writer and artist, I am now ready to be an author.  Textnovel.com is a great resource for me to introduce myself to the world.  Here’s my introduction:  Hi, my name is Carmellita Michelle Brown and I am going to pour my heart and soul into every story I tell you.

Oh my favorite quote as a writer? The quote that keeps me going...

"Fiction is not a reenactment of reality. It is an exaggeration of it."

                           --Terry McMillan Author of

          Mama, Waiting to Exhale, and Getting to Happy

Some practices I have learned to stick to as a writer:

1.  I should have some idea where the story is going but I don't have to know it all before I get there.

2.  Flawed characters are beautiful no matter how good they try to be.

3.  My antagonist must serve as an achilles heel; otherwise, I am torturing my protagonist. 

4. My daily reminder, "Before checking twitter, facebook, cruising the internet, or checking/answering email, I must WRITE FIRST!"  Status updates don't count.

5.  And most importantly, I always Let the Creative Spirit Move!