I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write.  In grade school I used to take work home at night so I could create stories to entertain my classmates during the day.  I loved filling the pages of notebooks on both sides so the paper would crinkle.  At that time, my dream was to write and illustrate children’s books when I grew up.

Whether working on a story or not, if I am sad, mad, happy or have a thought I think is profound, I have to write it down.  I find that even during lectures, meetings, etc.  I think better if I write down what is being said.  I may never look at it again, but I’ve learned more effectively if I’ve written it down.

My childhood dream has come true to a certain extent, I now have four young adult books in print.  Of course in my dream I was to have made my living writing, but that was not to be.  I retired several years ago after thirty-three years as a legal secretary and office manager for the Provo City Attorney’s Office.  The heroine in the mainstream mystery/adventure novel I am currently working on is a defense attorney who finds herself in a web of intrigue surrounding the death of her unborn child’s father.  As with most authors, some of my own experiences sneak into my story lines.   The nice thing about being a writer, however, is that I can manipulate the plot so it ends up better (or worse) on the page than it did in life.

Since I wanted my books to be illustrated and completed exactly to my liking (and to guarantee that they were in print at all), I published them through my own publishing company, Sunrise Selections. What an experience. I have learned so much about the publishing world and have gained a huge appreciation for traditional publishing companies.

          To everyone’s relief, I did not illustrate these books with my own paintings but with beautiful photographs. I was able to use my son, daughter-in-law, nephews, granddaughters and friends as models for these books, as well as my own horses in many of the shots. In several of my books, the settings on a Montana cattle ranch and on the shores of that state’s glorious Flathead Lake are places I have lived. Now in addition to telling a story, I have a history to hand down to my descendants.

  My husband, Scott, a computer genius and remarkable photographer, and I tried to make these novels special keepsake books for the whole family.  They all have meaningful plots filled with adventure, mystery, sweet romance and horses (and you don’t even have to like horses).  Hopefully they will inspire readers to want to be better people.

Writers are never bored.  Even waiting for an appointment can be significant.  Take out a piece of paper, napkin, gum wrapper, anything and transport yourself into another world.  I love to write.  It has been said that writers write because they cannot not write.  I agree.

Writing will be a part of my life forever.  Hopefully it won’t take that long to finish my current novel.  I still like filling pages of notebooks on both sides so the paper crinkles.  I usually write my first thoughts in a steno notebook before typing the complete chapter into my computer. 

My books can be ordered from any bookstore, from Amazon, and soon through my website which is currently being updated and beautified:  www.bettybriggs.com.  The four bookstores that used to carry my books have all gone out of business.  I don’t think it was because of my books, but I sometimes wonder.

I live in Mapleton, Utah, with my husband, Scott.  I have two grown children, five grandkids and four horses who I sometimes consider my children.

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