Hey, Y’all, I’m Debra. Here’s More About Me Than You Probably Want to Know.

Summary

Debra is a writer, bookseller, and naturalist with a background in science, a passion for cats, and a strong aversion to injustice.

Abstract

Debra, a member of the tail end of the Boomer generation, has led a life marked by frequent moves and a resulting difficulty in forming deep relationships. Her love for writing was sparked in childhood by fan fiction for female-led action shows, and it became a refuge during her school years due to crippling shyness. Despite her dream of becoming a novelist, she pursued a career in science, earning degrees in Horticulture, Biology, and Natural Resources Management. However, she found her calling in the book industry, retiring after 34 years to become a freelance writer. Debra's writing style is characterized by a strong voice and a preference for complex vocabulary, reflecting her diverse interests and expertise. She is also an environmentalist, artist, and advocate for social and humanitarian issues, with a particular disdain for injustice.

Opinions

Debra prefers deep, meaningful writing over short pieces or listicles.
She values the richness of the English language and its ability to convey complex ideas.
Debra is an advocate for the use of Oxford/serial commas in her writing.
She identifies more with animals than people but is actively trying to improve her social interactions.
Debra has a penchant for light sweet coffee, dark bitter chocolate, and fried foods, reflecting her Southern upbringing.
She is passionate about conservation, environmentalism, and gardening, holding titles such as Master Gardener.
Debra's favorite vegetable and fruit are tomatoes, highlighting her sense of humor as a horticulturist.
She encourages readers to connect with her on Medium, indicating a desire to engage with her audience.

Writer, bookseller, naturalist.

Photo by the author.

I love cats and I don’t like pictures of myself, so you’re likely to see cat pics when you see my avatar. This is my cat Violet in the middle of a power nap.

I was born at the end of the Boomer generation to a military family, and I was their first child. We moved about every two years, so I learned how to make superficial friendships quickly then let them go. Deep relationships were (are) alien to me.

My interest in writing began in sixth grade when I began writing fan fiction (before there really was such a thing) for TV shows like Charlie’s Angels, and The Bionic Woman. These shows were seminal for me because there were precious few female-led action shows at the time. Looks like little has changed since then…

When it came to school, I was one of those kids crippled by shyness. Writing became a refuge; given the choice between writing a 20-page paper and giving a 10-minute talk in front of the class, I’d pick the paper every time. Writing was always easy for me, and I was the state spelling bee champion in junior high.

Though I long held a secret dream of becoming a best-selling novelist, I majored in science in college. I graduated with a BS in Horticulture and Biology, and went on to get an MS in Natural Resources Management. I envisioned a career doing fieldwork for the US Forest Service.

For various reasons that I won’t bore you with now, this career never happened. I wound up with a career as a retail bookseller managing a store for B.Dalton Booksellers, and later working for Barnes and Noble after B. Dalton was bought out by them. I retired after 34 years in 2018 and finally hung out my shingle as a freelance writer.

I had been doing a lot of manuscript editing and proofing on the side for the 10 years before I retired, and for some reason I felt fully prepared to handle a freelance writing career. I have since learned there is a lot more to writing well than just being good at grammar.

My writing has a strong voice, but leans towards the pedantic — and I love making use of my large vocabulary. I don’t understand the writing mantra, “Never use a big word when a small word will do.” Language is so magical and powerful, and English is particularly rich since it draws from a number of other languages like Latin, German, and French. (I also am a fan of Oxford/serial commas so you’ll always see those in my work.)

So, I’ve got the brain of a scientist, the heart of a writer, and the soul of an artist. You won’t find me knocking off short little info pieces or listicles — I’ll leave those for others. I’ll give you research-backed pieces, emotional essays, and dark stories with twisty endings like this one.

I’ve got the brain of a scientist, the heart of a writer, and the soul of an artist.

I’m a conservationist, environmentalist, horticulturalist, and Master Gardener. I design and make jewelry, draw badly, and sing along with the radio. I love light sweet coffee, dark bitter chocolate, and anything fried. My tastes were honed in the South, but my spirit belongs to the West and wide-open spaces. Tomatoes are both my favorite vegetable and my favorite fruit (horticulture joke!), but I love blueberries, too. I love the smell of lavender and pumpkin spice. My favorite flowers are white roses and lilacs.

And this may be the most important thing about me: Although I am more comfortable with animals than I am with people, I care a great deal about social and humanitarian issues. And I despise injustice in any form. It infuriates me.

If you’ve read this far, I thank you. I’m trying to become more of a people-person, so please reach out if you’re of a mind and connect with me on Medium DRM.