In the romantic suspense book of mine that comes out at the end of January, Undercover Mountain Pursuit, my heroine has a very unusual profession. She is a high risk photographer. Because Love Inspired Suspense books are known for lots of action and danger, when I was brainstorming this book, I keyworded "risky professions" and "dangerous jobs." High risk photographer is an actual job title. These are the people who hang out of airplanes to get the impossible shot, wait for a lion to charge them or follow and extreme skier down a mountain and over jumps.
My characters live a way more exciting life than I do. But I got to thinking about all the different things I wanted to be as a child and the jobs I did before I started writing full time. My first memory of what I wanted to be was Wonder Woman. This was when the Lynda Carter version of that show was on the air. And I was dead serious. I was probably also six or seven years old (a few years older than I am in this baby pic). But I practiced jumping over chairs and other dangerous stunts and deflecting bullets with my tin foil bracelets. In high school and the early part of college, I wanted to be an actress. An ambition that is only slightly more realistic than being a super hero. Then I thought I would write movie scripts. Until I read a book about how astronomically impossible it is for a script to make it to the screen even if it is optioned. The job that I ended up doing for seventeen years was not near as exciting and not something I ever would have thought I would be good at. I worked as a tutor in the college writing center. I was good at it and it was very fulfilling. A far cry from Wonder Woman.
How about you? What did you want to be when you were growing up? What job did you end up doing that surprised you in how much you liked it? Leave a comment with your email and I will pick two people to win a copy of Undercover Mountain Pursuit.
I wanted to be a teacher as a child. I ended up being a mom to 5 children and am homeschooling the last 2 so I guess close lol. I definitely prefer reading about others with a high risk job!
ReplyDeletedehnernicole at Gmail dot com
I wanted to be a doctor until I found out how much it cost to get that education. Then I figured a physical therapist would be an interesting career until I permanently injured my right wrist in my senior year of high school. A college degree in Psychology didn’t bring a career with it, unless you went on for your masters. Instead I got married and homeschooled our daughter. After that I landed up in retail - not ideal perhaps, but still working with people.
ReplyDeletebettimace AT gmail DOT com
I've thought about getting a retail job. Just because it would be a low stress way to get out and be with people for a few hours a week. Just haven't worked up the courage to try anywhere.
DeleteGirls of my generation were usually teachers, nurses or secretaries if not homemakers. I found I didn't have the patience when I was younger to be a teacher. Since I had the tendency to pass out, I didn't figure nursing would be a good option. So I went for secretary which I did right after high school. Even was the old PBX operator once like the Lily Tomlin skit on Laugh In. But my true calling was being a homemaker and still hold that position. It's a job you don't retire from (although now I'm assisted by hubby after he retired) and it's one I'll never tire of.
ReplyDelete"Undercover Mountain Pursuit" sounds fabulous! I love photography so that is an added plus for me - although I'll stick to photographing critters and landscapes with two feet firmly planted on the ground. Can't wait for the opportunity to read it. Thank you for the fabulous chance to win a copy! Shared and hoping to be the fortunate one selected.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
I wanted to be a scientist. I was a dental assistant and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Blessings
ReplyDeleteHi, I wanted to be a nurse, but I never pursued it, the closest I got to be a nurse was being a Nurse's Aid in a Nursing Home, I worked there for 1 yr. met my husband and then we started a family . I stayed at home for our 2 then children until they started school. After they started school I worked part time at a children's Day care and I really liked it. Later on when my 2 children were in HS I subbed at the HS offices. Thank you for the chance . Have a great day and stay safe. aliciabhaney(at)sbcglobal(dot)net
ReplyDeletedoctor
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
I wanted to be a Scuba diver & helicopter pilot and wrote that in a paper when in 4th grade--the student teacher told me I could NOT be either one of those & told me to rewrite the report. I refused. The teacher reported my refusal to my mother at parent teacher conferences... yes, I did become a certified Scuba diver when I was 20.... (50 years ago!) I couldn't afford a helicopter though. :( But I do love flying in helicopters! badawson16 at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteI don't get people that want to kill someone's dreams. Good for you becoming a scuba diver.
DeleteI wanted to be a teacher and /or a nurse as I was growing up but didn't do either except as a Sunday School teacher. sheliarha64(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI never knew what I wanted to be. I did baby sit a lot and ended up working with young children in different capacities.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I always wanted to be a librarian, but ended up in the medical field. I am an Advanced Medical Support Assistant....a fancy word for Medical Clerk for the VA. I love what i do....Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteLinda Ortiz
strgth4yu(at)hotmail(dot)com
if I had to do another career Librarian or working in a book store would be at the top of the list.
DeleteI started out wanting to be a Nurse but couldn't do that so I went for teaching but they didn't let transfer students in the program so I just went general that I wanted to help people. Ended up getting my Associates Degree in Elementary Education and got my Bachelor's Degree in Sociology.
ReplyDeleteWould love to win that book in print so I can read and review it
Thanks for giveaway
I forgot to put my Name and Email in my comment.
ReplyDeleteName: Crystal
Email: don(dot)stewart(at)zoominternet(dot)net
I wanted to be a teacher or nurse. I did teach Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.I worked in the office of a Visiting Nurse Association. That's the closest I got to my occupational desires. I would love to read this book.
ReplyDeleteMaryann
marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
I wanted to be an hydrologist with the US Forest Service (I grew up in South Lake Tahoe and lived on the lake)...and I did!! I ended up retiring from the Forest Service in 2013 after 35+ years! (with many different job titles...). Thanks for the giveaway! chendryx(at)nctv(dot)com
ReplyDeleteMy full name is Connie Hendryx :)
DeleteI wanted to be a park ranger, cop, cowboy, you name it, I wanted to be it.
ReplyDeleteThis is from my sister and she asked me to let you (Sharon Dunn) know her response.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to be a Teacher or Nurse but the orthopedic surgeon said that physically I wouldn't be able to do that. So, the secretarial field was the umbrella for my career.
Your being a Tutor at a college writing center allowed you to "rescue" and encourage more lives than you may ever know! Writing is difficult for many people, whether it's for a book, an essay, a speech, a job resume, a college paper, a newspaper article, or a Thank You note.
Those students you worked with- and I'm sure based upon your books, you also encouraged- were helped beyond just writing a paper for school. Learning or strengthening even just the basics of proper sentence structure, being reminded of how important correct spelling and punctuation are go a long way regardless of a person's profession.
You may not have had actual "awesome bracelets" to ward off and protect others from evil, but you were able to show them how they can learn and make their own difference in society in their futures. Thank you for that!
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