Author's Bio

   Writing a book is a challenge, but promoting a book is even harder. At times the two endevours seem at odds with one another. The writing process began in the privacy of my own fevered little brain, and incubated privately at the keyboard. But a work of fiction isn't complete until it becomes public, which requires the author to bare her soul in a most un-private way.
   A few years back a literary agency responded to my query letter, asking for sample chapters, an outline and <gulp> an author's bio. With no credentials to list, I considered passing on the opportunity rather than embarrass myself with my life non-story. 
   I've had to construct and update my author bio over the years, and although that agency passed on my manuscript, I'm grateful for the challenge they presented, and grateful I was able to meet it.
   Below is the author bio I'm using right now. I wonder how different it will be in a couple of years.

Linda Cooke's secret ambition to be an author has taken many detours over the years. In the course of her career she has held jobs ranging from dishwasher to library clerk to closed circuit TV personality. Currently she teaches English Language Learners at the elementary level. In every job, however, she always finagled some writing into the mix. Most recently this has included writing and editing short scripts for the high school speech and drama teams she coaches. Before that it was writing up a monthly employee newsletter, or editing articles for a company history, or dreaming up stories for her kids. “I guess I've always been a writer,” she says. “I just didn't always know it.”