Monday 18 October 2010

Kristal and My Dyslexic By Kristal McKerrington.


As a teenager in High School my Scribes always thought I had dyslexics and for large portions of my High School years they always talked about it. They never did the test nor did they ever really help me with it.


My English Teacher for my Standard grades was harsh and would always put down my work till the point I never really wanted to hand in anything I did. They gave me a computer, but because I couldn't retain the basic grammar and sometimes spelling it didn't help.


Somehow with the aid of my best scribe I made it through. I took a 3 in English, which at that time they never thought for one moment I would achieve. Right before my exams they didn't think I would pass a single one. With the stress of the exams my condition called 'Rheumatoid arthritis' flaring and the mix of pain medicines made them convinced I wouldn't succeed, but I did.


I left school with my English teachers 'You have no imagination and you will never be a writer' ringing in my ears. I was convinced by all my teachers and all the adults in my life that I couldn't do it. So I didn't to begin with.


I went on to be a nurse, but just a quarter of the way through my course where I was getting help with my dyslexia I had to leave due to my condition. Through the years though I never stopped writing. I never quit that cause it was the air I needed to breathe.


Then I had a small Rheumatoid Arthritis blimp back in July last year and that was when I became a writer. I sat in the hospital in tears and knew there wasn't going to be much I could do with my life, since I was always unstable and every job I had I ended up having to leave cause of my condition flaring. Sometimes I need up to a month off at one time or another.


I wrote my first book 'Freedom Is Earned' and got a dear friend of mine Bernie Morris to edit it. I sent out letters to 30 different agents and over 35 publishers and not one was interested. I sent out my last batch, which contain 'XOXO Publishing, Carina Press and Noble Romance Publishing.'

I was convinced if these lot had rejected me then that was it I wasn't going to do it ever again.


I had pegged 'XOXO Publishing' the long shot after I saw that they had a really professional site and I was a little scared that I was going to get Huge rejection off them. I didn't I did get the rejection letters that nearly had be in tears from 'Noble and Carina Press' who weren't convinced my stuff was to their standards or to their marketing plans.


I was bummed then the news came from XOXO Publishing and my heart nearly burst out of my chest. They accepted my first book and they offered me the contract I never thought I would get.


Since then they have given me a team to help me with the Dyslexia and even the other authors of the company help an support me. After such a long time with no hope they gave me just that.


I have gone on with them to create 6 new series that will be coming out over the next few months, while break new grounds and doing what was thought the impossible.


I just want to say if you have this problem then you can work through it. There is people out there that can give you a chance and make your dreams come true. I never gave up and look where I am now. I have 2 pieces out and 9 more contracted! I can promise you there is hope out there and between us all we can make a difference for those people who are one in ten!



 There is help, and I got it.


http://www.dyslexia.help.co.uk and my books can be found at http://www.xoxopublishing.com/shop-online.

Kristal McKerrington.

2 comments:

  1. Kristal, I'm so glad somebody saw your talent and took the time to work with you. I enjoyed your inspirational blog.

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  2. Thank you Maggie and its nice when people get bad to me and tell me what they think of my blogs an the things am sharing. I hope that you enjoy 'Freedom Is Earned' or 'The Highlander With The Ink', which is apart of the 'Tattoo Anthology' out at XOXO Publishing now cause I really appecate fellow readers and fans thoughts on these things.

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