Okay, I wrote my first "book" in middle school; "Mystery on Grizzley Mountain" was inspired by my love of Nancy Drew, but didn't quite measure up. Over the years I've always been writing, but mostly with journal entries, newsletters, and lots of lesson plans as a teacher in the homeschool community. Two years ago my muse decided I needed a kick in the pants, and next thing you know I was enrolled in Camp NaNoWriMo for April of 2017. I had just retired from directing musicals with children, and my head was overflowing with years of set design and directing experience.
I finished the book, and then proceeded to have it edited and read by beta readers, and then I moved through the revision process. In the meantime I enrolled in a Specialized Diploma program called Publishing for Writers, and wrote my first real novel. Two years later, and my first book is just about ready to send out into the world. I'm revising my second, and thinking ahead to my third. I guess that means I really AM an author -- that sound of laughter is probably my muse.