Beginnings

Today my life is all about beginnings. It's back to school day for my daughters. I've survived another summer.

The first day of school has always been my version of New Year's Day. That seems even more relevant this year as we haven't been living in Pittsburgh long.

For the short amount of time we have been here Pittsburgh has become my hometown in a real way. I'm sure all of you natives have heard this before. Pittsburgh is friendly and unique. And it's beautiful. I was sure that when I feel in love with a place it would be somewhere in the desert southwest, probably in Arizona. But then I met Pittsburgh. I still get a thrill when I drive out of the Fort Pitt tunnel, onto the bridge, and there is the city spread out before me. A city I'd grown up learning was filthy and depressed. And it is none of those things!

I could go on and on about the sports teams, the summit and all of the things that are obviously wonderful about this place. But what really makes it great is the people. So much so that I've been writing a book based here. And I like to think that Pittsburgh itself is a terrific character.

When speaking of love and new beginnings I ought to mention that previously I was writing in the romance genre. Nothing wrong with that. I plan to continue with it. One night last spring I was awakened by a new character telling me her story. She's a private eye here in Pittsburgh. So I'm writing her story in first person, another first for me.

I was published as a journalist and a poet in a long ago previous life. And I trained to become a romance novelist. Now I am embarking on a new career with writing suspense. I'm even using a pen name. So I am happy to introduce myself as Sherry Dare, resident of Pittsburgh and suspense novelist.