Today we’d like to introduce you to Heidi Collotzi
Hi Heidi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I decided that I wanted to be an author when I was a little kid after reading Dr. Doolittle, but I never really pursued it because I was a slow reader and couldn’t keep up with classmates. In high school I had an incredibly supportive English teacher who wanted me to join her creative writing class, but I couldn’t fit it into my busy schedule. But her encouragement has stuck with me all these years.
As I followed a medical career path I started writing again, but only personal and family short stories and never anything that I would publish. Finally, after marriage and having my last of three children, my mind wasn’t as actively engaged as it had been and I found myself daydreaming of different fantastical stories. After my husband heard a little of the stories and how much they occupied my thoughts, he gave me one of his old work laptops and told me that I should write them down and see where it goes.
Two books came out of that laptop. I allowed some close friends and family to read those books and give me feedback. One of those people told me that I should go back and take some of those creative writing classes, so I did.
While taking an online writing class, I was taught how to create the characters of the story and how to write an outline around the characters and themes. So I created dragons and an entire world to go with them.
I’ve always loved everything fantasy and my mind was drawn back to those stories of Dr. Doolittle talking to animals. I also wanted to challenge myself so I decided to write from the perspective of the dragon, a being that humans might have a hard time relating to, but hopefully could by the end.
Along the lines of challenge, I also decided to write a story and keep my religious and personal beliefs out of the plots and storylines. However, I do take from the many experiences I have had in my life and the many things I’ve learned, martial arts, medicine and anything else, culminating in fun adventures that I hope anyone can enjoy.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t know of anyone who has had a smooth road when it comes to chasing their dreams. Being an independent author can be especially difficult because you not only have to write the book, but you have to figure out, mostly through trial and error, how to polish it and market it. I’ve been fortunate to have a husband who has not only supported me financially and emotionally, but has sat down with me and helped me navigate the technical aspect of marketing and publishing, going so far as to format the interior of my books himself.
But I think the most difficult road for me has been the emotional aspect. I have bipolar disorder which allows me to be consumed by depression at any given moment and often for no reason at all. I think many authors would agree that “writer’s block” is a state of mind, but in my case, I can usually contribute it to depression.
During my manic phases I get a lot of things done, like cleaning the house, baking goodies, running errands, etc., they can often lead to avoiding writing, which weighs on my conscience and leads to feeling like a failure if I don’t sit down and write. Giving myself some grace and working on a balance between family, work and self has been absolutely essential in order to get anything done. Medication and therapy play a major role in helping me find that balance and be more successful in my goals.
But as we all know, if it happens to an author, it will most likely end up in their book. Hence, all of my emotional and medical experiences help me to create characters and guide them through it as well. Writing is truly therapeutic and as they say, if it doesn’t kill us, it makes us stronger. So hopefully it only kills off some of my characters.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I don’t know what sets me apart from others, other than my stories, of course. If I had to choose what I specialize in, it would be anatomy. I know, weird, but my work in the medical field as a certified nurse assistant and my experience with martial arts, I believe helps me write more realistic action scenes. I also think that my history with trauma and therapy helps me delve deeper into a good or bad personality and write more complex characters and better drama. Although, let’s be honest, I try to keep away from drama and romance and focus on action and adventure, I think it’s a lot more fun!
What matters most to you? Why?
God matters most to me. I feel that He has blest me with the ability to write these stories and share them and it’s my privilege to do so. But that reason goes along with what else matter most to me – my family. My husband has been a huge support and he and my kids bring joy to my life every day. I think the reason I write is to somehow bring joy into their lives and maybe everyone else’s as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: hrbcollotzi.com or avonoa.com or peopleofthestorm.com
- Instagram: @hrbcollotzi
- Facebook: @hrbcollotzi
