I’ve been writing since I was seven, but I’ve been telling stories since I could speak. My mom would read me stories as a baby, and I would chew on the corners of the cardboard books she bought me. When I went to daycare there was one child that needed help with reading, and the woman who watched us (Grandma Shirley), would help him. I loved hearing stories, so I’d just stay in the room and listen until my mom would pick me up at the end of the day. At the age of four I was telling all the kids at the daycare center stories that I would make up myself. They were a huge hit.

My creative mind was always encouraged by teachers and family members, and I always felt so special when teachers would have me stand up in front of the class to tell stories of haunted houses and princesses. I moved from California to Idaho when I was nine and continued my writing whenever I could find time. I spent four and a half years in Journalism and one year in Creative Writing. Other than those two classes, and required English classes for my grade levels, that’s all the training I’ve had. It was never something I had to learn, it was just something that happened.

Now, nineteen years old and a high school graduate, I’ve written three novels (only one of which is actually published), nineteen short stories, over ten poems, four songs, and have eight unfinished novels that I’ll pick up after my series of nine and my series of four are finished. So basically, I’m just a normal teenage girl trying to start a career in writing. Where it will take me, who knows? But I definitely can’t wait to find out.

Hello, my name is Alysun Sanders, and I’ve been writing forever. It’s funny how many times I get asked how long I’ve been writing from my friends and family. It’s even funnier to see their reactions when I tell them I’ve been writing my whole life. At first I don’t think they understand. Who could stand writing forever, right? Especially a seventeen year old senior in high school, who’s busy with so many other things; where does she find time.