As an author, I shouldn't be at a loss for words, but writing about myself is the hardest genre to tackle, I find! Most of my stories contain a grain of truth about me, but that's usually it—just a grain. I don't tend to write about things personal to myself or my experience or my viewpoints. So it feels strange to turn the pen to this side of the page and tell you about myself. But I imagine if you clicked on this link, that is what you are in search of, as much as I can't imagine why you would be interested in me.
I began writing early in life, as a lot of writers do, and my first efforts were published in fifth grade. That was a wonderful experience, as it helped encourage me to continue to develop my talents. I continued to have success throughout my youth, mostly with poetry, but I suffered from a paralyzing self-doubt and extreme low self-esteem. I stopped writing altogether for many years.
As an adult, and with the help of online anonymity, I first developed the pseudonym Keppiehed, and I credit the help of countless Internet friends with building my confidence to begin writing again. Many people mock the world of fanfiction, but it was there that I really found a warm community of people who were so kind and caring and recognized that I had the talent to pursue my longterm writing goals. There is a lot of bad fanfiction out there, but there are also a lot of people who produce good work and they are in need of help to recognize their own worth, and I will always be grateful to the good folks in those many communities who helped form the foundation of who I am now.
I realized that I needed a pseudonym to keep writing with confidence, and for my original fiction I became John Vicary, and that is my working name today. My various publishers are very supportive of this; one even allowed me to substitute my own headshot for an old-timey public domain photo! I had a lot of fun with that, so now I have a face to go with the name. :)
Today, I like to produce a story a week. I prefer to write from prompts, but they can be anything: pictures, phrases, words … I like to be open to all genres and styles. I ask my kids and my husband sometimes if they have ideas for stories, or if they know how to work out a story I can't quite figure out. I don't feel like I am very good at plots! I spend the rest of the time editing and submitting, and in my free
time I am a mother of five. We live in the country, so it is a full and charmed life I lead. That's pretty much all about me.
Feedback is always welcome; I'd love to hear from you! Please contact me through the link at the bottom of the page. I might not be able to answer every inquiry, but I'll do my best to review and respond.
All stories are the property of Keppiehed.com, and may not be reprinted or made available in any media format without the expressed written permission of Keppiehed.com.