Please Welcome Margo Hoornstra

AUTHOR BIO




Like many aspiring writers, it’s hard to determine exactly when my fiction writing career began. I remember composing a short story in grade school (I have no idea about what) which was chosen for publication in an all school anthology. A journalism class taken in junior high school led to a job on the school newspaper—and a weekly column.


I always loved reading. I loved writing too. Someday, I thought, maybe when I grew up and received the right training, I could actually write a book. And, through the years, my desire to write fiction was always with me. I had so many ideas and characters roaming around in my head. So many stories I wanted to tell. I was even told, laughingly most times, I had an extremely vivid imagination.


But the business of living—going to college, getting married then raising a family—seemed to take precedence over something as frivolous as writing a book. Then one day I just took the plunge and began a novel, which I completed in a year. Unfortunately, that one never sold. (And I might add, never will.) During this time, I was introduced to a relatively new writing organization, Romance Writers of America and attended a few meetings of a local chapter. Those meetings were held a couple of hours drive from where I lived and sometimes traveling all that distance could be a problem. At the coaxing of a girlfriend, I helped found an RWA chapter closer to my home. One which, I’m pleased to say still exists and thrives today.


For a few years, I was able to balance being happily married, taking care of a home, raising four children and a full time job in public relations with writing fiction—romance fiction. I even completed three more novels—all eventually rejected. Disappointed but not discouraged, I kept trying. I did have some success with my short stories. One story even won first place in a local writing competition.


But, real life does go on. I was soon promoted at my day job. More responsibility required more of my time. Soon the free time I had been able to devote to writing my stories became less and less available and eventually dwindled down to no time at all. For the next twenty plus years I ‘went corporate’ as I call it, serving as a magazine editor, television producer, script writer, ghost writer and speech writer. Sure I was writing on a regular basis, but what I created amounted to other people’s words. Not my own. Still the desire to write fiction stayed with me. Not having the time to devote to completing another novel length manuscript, I wrote short stories and essays. A few were published in national magazines—Woman’s World and Country Woman.


One day out of the blue, I was downsized—effective immediately. Being allowed about ten minutes’ notice to clean out my desk and leave an organization where I’d worked for over thirty years seemed so unfair at the time. I now recognize the tremendous gift I was given that day.


With the unending support of my family, including one absolutely terrific husband, I was finally able to realize my dream to write full time. To free the many characters and their stories that have been waiting for so long. My own words at last. For me and for you.
After a couple of years and too many rejection slips to even count, I sold a short story to The Wild Rose Press, then another and another and another, then a few more.


Life is certainly good! And, today, with the children and grandchildren near, my husband Ron and I now live with two formerly stray cats and a half grown German Shepherd rescue—my husband’s latest contribution to the household.


And, as I spend more and more time doing what I love—writing romance fiction—I find I really do have so very many stories to share.


Stories I enjoyed writing and hope you enjoy reading.

Excerpt:  TO BE, OR NOT

The surrounding conversations, laughter and

loud music filtered to the background as Barry

watched Amanda stop to take off a beige jacket

before she sat. With her backside turned briefly his

way, he contemplated how he’d never seen a pair of

jeans look half as good as hers, then figured he’d

best bring his attention off the lady’s physical

attributes and come up with some sort of brilliant

conversation starter.

“Hey, ladies, you here for dinner?”

“No, we’re looking to get drunk and pick up a

one night stand,” Marcy deadpanned.

Barry flipped a chair around he made sure to set

a bit closer to Amanda before straddling it.

“Dollar drafts tonight for ladies only,” Maggie

said as she handed out menus.

Marcy gave her brother a run down of the

whereabouts of her family, two young daughters

staying with another sister and a husband who

would be joining them when he got off work. All

Barry wanted to know about was if her dinner

companion had anyone coming to meet her after

they got off work.

“I talked Amanda into coming with us because I

know how hard Roger’s been working her lately and

didn’t want her to spend the evening alone.”

Ask and it shall be given. Barry could have

kissed his sister for telling him precisely what he

wanted to know.

“The overtime isn’t bad. But this does beat going

home to an empty apartment.” Amanda clamped her

mouth shut as if she’d just revealed too much.

Excerpt:  NEXT TUESDAY at TWO

Her gaze slid down his face to take in the half

smile that hovered around his lips. “You don’t have

to entertain me.” She immediately regretted the

ungrateful remark. The man was being polite. The

least she could do was attempt civility in return.

“I’m hardly offering entertainment.” A newly

formed killer smile all but contradicted that

statement. “Just provide company you might be able

to relax and enjoy.”

“I think I can do that,” she admitted in a small

voice she willed to become stronger.

What risk was there in sharing some harmless

dinner conversation? Were they supposed to sit so

close and pretend the other didn’t exist? She picked

up her water glass as diversion. “You mentioned

having friends in Summerville.”

He nodded and edged from his end of the booth

to the center. “My mother’s long term friend

actually, and her husband, live in Corn Hill.”

She fairly choked on the sip she’d taken and set

down her glass. “That’s a nice area.”

Nice area was putting it mildly. Residents from

that section of the city were either loaded with

family money like the Dunavans of Eastman

Industries and Thurgoods, or had probably sold their

souls and those of their children in order to gain the

means to live there. She now understood the desk

clerk’s message a car was being ‘brought for his use.’

People who resided in Corn Hill had vehicles, among

other things, to share.

Excerpt:  Glad Tidings

“Doctor Thomas.” He hurried after her as she

stopped to retrieve her coat from an outside rack.

“Doctor Thomas, wait.”

“Doctor Thomas?” she whispered as a smile

played onto her features. “How very formal, Mr.

Holbrook.”

Halted mid-stride, he couldn’t stop a flush which

crept up his neck. “You know what I mean,” he

answered, his tone low. “You did a good job in there.”

He watched surprise, with maybe a touch of

hurt, flare in her eyes. “Did you think I wouldn’t?”

The blush struck again. “Of course not. I was

sure you’d do fine. I’m just pleased—for you—that it

went well.”

The eyes studying him tapered, the edges of her

mouth drew down. “Thank you. I think.”

He fell into step beside her. “Give me a break.

I’m a little nervous here.”

“You?” she asked as they made their way to the

elevators at the end of a wide corridor. “The always

in control, eternally professional, reserved yet

outgoing Jake Holbrook is nervous?”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Damned if he could stop the

freaking blushing she seemed to enjoy.