The Recipe for Janis

For those of you who know me personally, you know a lot about the things that make me who I am. But for some of you, you may just be getting to know me through my writing. So allow me to introduce you to five of the things that make me who I am.

I present the recipe for Janis.

1. Theatre Kid at Heart

I love theatre. I've been obsessed with it since seeing a college production as a child, then moving on to annual viewings of the Tony Awards. I wasn't able to participate as a homeschooler, but as soon as I got into college, I was all the way in. College theatre, community theatre, I was in all of it. I learned the different pieces that make up a theatre - costuming, lighting, acting, directing - I did it all. I was in ensemble for most of my on-stage career, and I learned how important those parts were for making a show work. I was a lead once, in Into the Woods as "The Baker's Wife." It was an amazing experience, one that solidified my love of being on the stage. I also got to see my first Broadway shows in college, thanks to a friend with a shared love of theatre and a knack for planning trips. My trips to New York to see shows have been far fewer over the past few years, but there is a steady flow of theatre soundtracks flowing through my speakers.

2. Church Flow

If you know me, you know that my parents were always in ministry somehow - by default, that meant that I was in ministry. Children's church leader, praise and worship team, set up and break down, these are things I was always a part of. Besides my homeschool friends, most of my socialization happened at church. When my parents started their own church, I became the youth pastor, musician, and praise and worship leader. My personal standards were greatly influenced by growing up in the church, and growing into adulthood has allowed me the chance to really explore my own beliefs, goals, and morals. None of this would have been possible without growing up as a church kid.

3. Music is Life

I grew up with music playing practically all of the time. My dad always had a steady stream of gospel and Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) playing throughout the house. I went to sleep as a child with music playing (still do, though now it's a steady stream of movie, video game, and tv soundtracks). I've had music playing while my students work, and I frequently have music playing while I'm writing or reading. Whether belting out show tunes on the way to work, praising with gospel music while I clean, or stretching my range singing along with Andrea Bocelli or Josh Groban, my music tastes are all over the place. Though I didn't get into R&B until I was in college, now it is one of my favorite genres (Just don't try country or rap, I'm probably not going to like it.)

(My favorite band, for King & Country)

4. Writing, writing, writing...

I've been writing since I was 11, chasing the ultimate dream of being published and sharing my stories with the world. At first, my stories were only shared with my siblings. As I got older, however, I started sharing with my friends, and it branched out from there. I used to be a pantser - a writer who just goes with the flow with no plan and hopes for the best. But as I got older and became better at writing, I became a planner. Now I write rough outlines of scenes with enough detail to get me going, making sure to know where the story needs to end up. Something that was sorely missing when I started writing. Now I'm almost done with a first draft in a year, and I'm working on publishing another novel.

5. Bookworm extraordinaire

I've been reading for as long as I remember. I vividly remember Friday afternoon trips to the library, wandering through the racks for something new but often picking up old favorites. My love for Sherlock Holmes started then, as well as fantasy, myths, and action/adventure. My brief spell of wanting to be an Egyptologist started then as well, and I devoured books on the subject. My favorite author then (and still) was Frank Peretti. His "Cooper Kids" series was one of the things that inspired me to be a writer, and other books continued to foster that love of reading. I've branched out into autobiographies, but my first love will always be fantasy. Hence my Lord of the Rings obsession. (If you know, you know.)

There are so many other things that make up who I am - I'm emotional, anxious, I love baking, I play video games, I do puzzles, I crochet, and so much more.

What's your recipe?