Color Me Butterfly

I never thought that quitting my dream job as a Senior Editor for a publishing company would turn into a blessing, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! 

All my life I’ve loved books.  I loved the whole process of publishing – from finding a great manuscript, to designing a cover, to writing sales copy, to seeing it flourish into print.  I dreamed about becoming an author and seeing my own books published some day.  But as a single mother, I never had time to seriously write.  I never thought quitting my dream job would launch my true passion.

Unexpectedly, I found my future husband.  I was at a company party, and the husband of a coworker told me that his friend would be a great match for me.  Nervous about the idea of a blind date and learning that my “mystery man” didn’t like blind dates either, we agreed to correspond by email.  Over several months, we found we had a lot in common, and Mike eventually asked me out on a date.  The moment I opened the door, my heart stood still.  He was wearing my favorite color and he was incredibly handsome.  I suppose he felt the same about me because we never looked back.

In 2003, we got the shock of our lives.  I discovered I was pregnant, and it only got more peculiar when my first ultrasound revealed twins!  In a short time, our lives turned upside down.  Our twin boys were born, and I resigned from my job because it didn’t pay enough to put two babies in daycare.  Besides, I really wanted to be home with my twins, something I was never able to do with my older children.  I was thrilled with this change, but couldn’t help but wonder if I’d be forced to give up my book dreams.

During the first six months with the twins, I had time for nothing but taking care of them.  But slowly, we worked out a schedule.  Then through contacts I’d maintained from my former job, I began to do some writing and editing.  One project led to another. Eventually, I co-authored a parenting book that was accepted for publication.

I can’t believe how far I’ve come.  Today, I hold in my hands my first published book entitled "Oh, Baby! 7 Ways a Baby Will Change Your Life the First Year."  I thought that having twins would mean the end of my publishing passion.  But because of their birth, my dreams of being an author have been born.  The twins are three and a half now. I’ve since published two more books: "It’s Twins!  Parent-to-Parent Advice from Infancy Through Adolescence" and "Twice the Love: Stories of Inspiration for Families with Twins, Multiples and Singletons."  Apparently, having twins has been very instrumental!

Susan M. Heim
Boca Raton, Florida
www.susanheim.com