The three stories that illuminated my path to completing my first novel: A House for Mr. Bismas, Beloved, and The Good Earth

When we migrated to the United States from Brazil in October 2003, I had hoped that, with fourteen years of experience in international trade, I would have no problem in finding work in my area of expertise. That proved more difficult than I had imagined. Instead, there I was in West Hollywood, working as a salesperson in the jewelry department of a large retail store. We do what we must to pay the bills. Unknowingly, we find ourselves where we’re meant to be.

At the retail store, I worked with and attended to creative artists of all kinds. Some worked in commercial productions. Others played extras in movies or TV shows. Many others struggled to grasp opportunities for getting into the movie industry.

The creative pulse of the heartland of Hollywood was infectious. Becoming a writer was not just a dream. It was within reach. But it would take training in the craft of writing to bring my story of Richard Cheong to life on the pages. With a crazy work schedule and limited funds, I opted for a correspondence course by snail mail. Those were the days before online courses. The Creative Writing course at the Stratford Career Institute in Vermont guided me from writing my first scene of up to 500 words to finding my writer’s voice in a 3000-word short story. Working at my own pace, I completed the writing course within two years (2004-2006).

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