Hi! I figured that since I am a very new writer, I should probably tell a little about myself. For those of you who haven't figured this out yet, Carey-Jane Riley is my pen name. My real name is Ginny, at least to my roommate and the people in the honors dorm. Getting published has been my dream ever since I began my first novel (Ella and Henry) when I was eleven years old. I have been writing ever since I was old enough to pick up a pen. My family will tell you that I am always scribbling in notebooks or typing on my computer when I have spare time. I first knew I wanted to be a writer when I was seven years old, believe it or not. My second grade teacher told us to write a short story, figuring that most of the class would write a paragraph or so. Mine was seven pages long.
I grew up in a big house in a small town. I am the oldest of three children and often called the "serious one." Although I am the only one in my family (so far) to pursue writing professionally, my younger brother is actually quite gifted as well, though he will never admit it! I am blessed with not one but two loving families, because my parents divorced when I was sixteen. I have the coolest stepmom in the world and my own mom is about to be remarried to a man who treats her very well. My family is probably one of the most important things in the world to me. I consider the two girls whom I have babysat for practically their entire lives to be in my family too. They see me as an "adopted sister" and I love them to pieces. In fact, my entire dorm room is covered in drawings that they have done for me, along with photographs of them and my biological sister, who is one of my favorite people in the world.
I believe that all books are autobiographical. Show me a book that is not autobiographical in some way and I will show you an author that didn't write it. I am a perfectionist, stubborn, but fiercely loyal to those I care about. I am about as introverted as they come. I tend to live through my writing. I am the first to admit that my novel is autobiographical. I am like Ella, in that I take a long time to open up to people and am extremely proud and stubborn. I am like Tom in that I have been in relationships before that left me hardened to the world and make it difficult to reach out to people. And I am like Henry, in that I am always looking for the right thing to do and I am very devoted to those I love. In short, I am my characters. They are real people to me, just as real as anyone I might meet on the street. I think that is true of just about any author.
I am starting my second year of college and absolutely love it. My not-so-awesome experience last year only makes me appreciate McLean even more. I seriously could not imagine anywhere else I would rather be, except maybe the beach. Or New York City. I have the best friends in the world here and for the first time I am not the least bit homesick. I love my family back home, though, and always look forward to seeing them, however infrequently. I love all my friends in the dorm and have the greatest boyfriend in the world, who has been the biggest support I could ever imagine.
I hope that you all get a chance to read my book. As most of you know, Ella and Henry is only the first in The Pirate Chronicles, a quartet that is a work-in-progress at this point. I had a lot of fun writing it, and I hope you have fun reading it! Now, enough about me. Post a message on my message board so I can get to know you!