senior year English teacher at Boonsboro High.“ And once I entered the world of professional writing I had mentors in the Park Service, such as Chief Historian Ed Bearss.” Dennis started out as a sports writer for his high school paper and upon graduation was immediately hired by the Herald-Mail, where he learned style and technique from Sports Editor Daryl Kepler. History, Dennis says, is about people, so in essence, the writer is telling stories and that is what can be fascinating.“ Writing is an art, and writing history is a form of creative art. When it becomes technical it should go in the dump.”
BLAZING A PATH Though she’ s a relatively new author herself, Melissa Foster also is prolific and dedicated to helping others. The Williamsport author has already produced several novels and wrote three new ones last year alone.“ I had always wanted to write, but I was busy raising children and didn’ t have time to focus. Once my children were all in school I would write for five hours a day.” She published her first book,“ Megan’ s Way”— currently being shopped around to studios for a possible movie— on her own because the agents she contacted were unable to market her book in the midst of the economic recession.“ I reached out to readers through the internet and social media.”
Based on her experience selling the book, Melissa established the World Literary Group to connect readers and writers and Fostering Success, offering online book marketing courses.“ No one helped me at first, and there still isn’ t much of a writer’ s community,” she says.“ But I did e-mail Jodi Picoult [ noted novelist ] asking how many pages were needed to be considered by an agent. She was the first person to help me. I also met M. J. Rose, a best-seller in the thriller category, who has become like a sister to me and is always willing to exchange ideas.”
Her success story is inspiring: Melissa has won numerous awards, is a nominee for two more this year, and has sold almost 300,000 books.“ I tell new writers every book is like the first one— every one is started from page one again— and for each book you need to make the same marketing effort as for book 10.” §
50 May / June 2013 Hagerstown: The Best of Life in Washington County & Beyond