(1109 words) “Arman, did you pack your mask?” “Yes mom.” “Did you pack your stabilizer?” “Yes mom.” “Do you have an extra tank of O 2 ?” “Yes m –” the young boy paused and started to rummage through his bag searching for the compact canister. A large sigh escaped him as he panned over to his mother who had her decorated hand on her waist. A soft chuckle escaped the tall woman as she tucked the canister in his backpack. “Thanks mom” he whispered. With a scratch on his head, she strapped the mask on his face and fixed the goggles on his eyes and gave him a kiss on his forehead. A heavy and weary sigh left her as she hugged him. “Mom, I’m just going on a field trip.” the boy sighed. “I know sweetheart. It’s just that the gas levels are really high today...the highest we’ve seen in months.” she whispered. “It’s fine. Aren’t you a scientist?” “Yeah,” she chuckled wiping her nose, “Yeah I am. Go on, you don’t wanna be late.” He waved back at her as he walked th...
Bonjour mes belles personnes!
Maria West is a fiction author, a Microsoft Office Specialist in Excel and an opinionated reader and artist. She was born and raised on the tiny island of New Providence in the tiny country known as The Bahamas. She is the weirdest member of a large family full of artists, authors, singers and other just as weird people. As a child, she would write lots of poems and small stories here and there all the while working on her drawing skills.
During the course of her highschool career, her writing took the backburner as she allowed herself to be drawn to her other creative sides and fully develop them. She would constantly participate in art competitions and do small commissions for family and friends. When she wasn't doing that, her nose would always be in a book. Whether that be fiction ranging from all genres or non-fiction that revolved around the sciences.
Maria originally wanted to be a pediatrician or specifically, a pediatric nephrologist. However, in her first year at the University of the Bahamas, she quickly realized after doing 2 chemistry classes, 2 biology classes and a physics class that maybe the sciences aren't for her. In the midst of this quarter life crisis, she started to write a novel that ultimately got nowhere; even wrote a few flash fictions. But it wasn't until April of 2019 when she found out about Nanowrimo and it's 2 smaller events in April and July. This was where the birth of her first finished novel was born. That month of continous writing with other writers like her, gave her a sense of purpose of what she wanted for her life. And from then, her writer's journey began!
Now, aside from writing novels, Maria also writes flash fictions and short stories. In her down time, she is drawing on her wacom tablet and drinking loads and loads of tea. In the day, she works as a Patient Registration Officer at a hospital; while at night, she drowns herself in youtube, pulling all-nighters and chocolate. For the fun of it, she terrorizes her 2 younger brothers and parents, gives aggressive cuddles and rubs to her giant fur baby, listen to boat loads of music and sleep.
“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it.
That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.”
― Octavia E. Butler