"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." (Abraham Lincoln)

I'm a country, farm girl from rural South Georgia. I grew up in a time and place where women who didn't want to be fulltime housewives and mothers had two choices. We could either be teachers or nurses. I had a love for both and made plans to study music after I finished nursing school so I could teach piano while I raised my children. Most of my career has been spent taking care of critically ill newborns and children and children with cancer. Most recently, I have been a Legal Nurse Consultant, mediator, and bartender. I've been in nursing for 40 years. Not because I like to look like "who did it and ran?" after 12 hours or because of the sexy extra-strength support hose but because I have a heart for helping people. I recently found a company that satisfies my need to help and I couldn't be more pleased with what I've been able to do.

Who would have ever believed that, after the career I've had in the service industry, I would find a way to help people by showing them how to succeed by writing and becoming a published author? I'll guarantee you it wouldn't be my classmate from high school who used to write my English papers for me. We had a deal: I did her math homework, she wrote my papers. I had the opportunity to become a resume writer a short time ago. And when I began to receive feedback that my customers were able to get jobs in this tough economy in part because of the resumes I had written, the sense of satisfaction I had was overwhelming.

Still, I clung to my belief that I wasn't a writer. I have always believed that I was no good at it and, frankly, didn't enjoy it. So when I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Jeremy Brown and the Automatic Author Program [http://GetPublishedWithMaryKathryn.info], I was still a bit hesitant and skeptical. But I couldn't resist Jeremy's enthusiasm and belief in me. I took the plunge. He was 100% right about one thing. It has changed me and changed my life. I am more organized, focused and confident, and it is evident both personally and professionally. I have also tested and proved the theory that authors are perceived as experts and thus have increased visibility, credibility, profitability and respect. Opportunities that non-writers could only dream of pursue authors like heat-seeking missiles, turning them into prosperity-magnets.

I know that my former classmate will probably need a cardiologist when I tell her that I'm published. She may need more than that when I tell her that now I think about writing even when I'm not and look forward to the time when I can sit down and put my thoughts on paper. She may even call Homeland Security and report a possible alien abduction when I tell her I've been ghost writing as well. Because of the perfectionist, hard to be satisfied with myself streak that is embedded in my backbone, I still face a bit of a challenge in getting to the point that I feel ready to publish my works. But I now know that I can satisfy that need to help people with my writings and by helping others learn how to write and get published as well. And, for the sake of full disclosure, I'll admit that I stand a little prouder each time I see the word author after my name.

My philosophy: If you aren't living on the edge, you're taking up too much space!