To this day, I struggle to read, especially out loud. At this point, it is mostly anxiety, but I still struggle. I have never been officially diagnosed with dyslexia, but there are many signs that I have it. I struggled with and hated reading and writing as a kid, but I loved making up stories. In school, I was always among my classes' slowest readers.
A few central figures gave me the confidence to read and write today. First was my elementary school librarian. When I would do my reading-aloud speed, accuracy, and recollection test, the librarian was generally my proctor. The proctors would always tell us what we needed to work on, and he would tell me that I needed to work on my speed and accuracy, but I was above average at recalling what I had read. That was the first time I can remember anyone telling me I was good at something concerning reading and writing. My next two figures were two of my English teachers in high school. They gave me resources and opportunities that helped me strengthen my ability to read and write. One of my English teachers was also my creative writing teacher.
In my creative writing class, I found that I love world-building and making characters that someone like me could relate to and look up to. My teacher taught me that there are many ways to tell a story and find focus within them. She gave us prompts such as a specific scene or item to include, but I also learned how to tell stories from my life in unique ways. I have had many unbelievable experiences, and if it weren’t for my new ability to record them, I would doubt that I could pass them along to others.
The first time a book made me laugh was some comics that my Dad had collected over the years, specifically some of the compiled strips his brother gave him. The strips were called Peanuts. The first book that made me cry was Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, when one of my favorite characters died.
I once heard someone say that when you tell a story, if you can make someone laugh, you can get them to empathize with your characters. I have found this true when I consume media. If I genuinely think something is funny or if I laugh, then I am in tune with the other portrayed emotions.
My favorite type of books are dystopian novels. The first book I fell in love with that I had to read for school was Gathering Blue, part of the Giver Quartet, by Lois Lowry. This dystopian novel spoke to me because I could relate to the main character. I love the commentary on society, specifically when it tries so hard to be a utopian society that it ultimately does the opposite, generally taking one thing to the extreme.
I fell into Sci-fi with Call of The Multiverse because I wanted to explore an idea I have had for a while now: what it would be like to be aware of multiple universes and take part in protecting all existence.
I honestly can’t believe I am writing anything, let alone publishing it. There was a point where this was a vague imagination. I can’t believe how far I have come over the years.