August 1, 2011

Made It Moment: Dennis Collins

Filed under: Made It Moments — jenny @ 12:37 am

The First Domino

Dennis Collins’ Made It Moment will take us all back a ways–a long ways probably. The more times I read it (and I read it quite a few) the more I started to wonder whether it’s a Moment many of us share. How many writers experienced at a very young age that magic ability to hold a reader in our thrall? Read on…

Dennis Collins

I’d probably be smart to say that I knew that I had it made the third time that some reader told me that they read one of my books from beginning to end in one sitting. I consider that a high compliment and I’ve been fortunate enough to hear it about every one of my books. But I’d like to go much farther back.

I was eleven years old and in the fourth grade at St. Mary’s school in Detroit. Sister Phyllis, the nun in charge of my class, was threatening to expel me. She had me standing in front of the class and was waving a single sheet of loose leaf paper over her head, declaring me a violent maniac (I think her actual word was nincompoop).

My unauthorized tale was a cowboy story influenced by countless Saturday matinees spent with Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, and other heroes of my generation. It was filled with gunfights and fistfights just like the movies. What else would you expect from a fourth grader?

But all through her rant, I was aware that she had read my story from beginning to end, that she remembered what she read, that it had an impact on her, and that she felt compelled to give a very emotional review of my story… at the top of her lungs.

In spite of the terror that the prospect of expulsion thrust on me, I felt a little twinge of pride that I had actually gotten to her. I had arrived, reached somebody. I had made it.

My professional life was spent in automotive engineering where I enjoyed a rewarding forty year career. I’ve always had a taste for adventure and risk taking, spending my idle hours flying airplanes, skydiving, scuba diving, motorcycle racing, and engaging in over thirty years of professional automotive powered hydroplane racing.

My first publishing credit came as a complete surprise when an article that I wrote for a powerboat racing club newsletter found its way onto the desk of the president of The American Power Boat Association and he submitted it to Propeller Magazine. My first novel The Unreal McCoy was self published and surprisingly successful. I was able to follow up with Turn Left at September published by Behler Publications, a small mainstream publisher in California. Both titles have been converted to electronic format and are now available on Kindle. The next book The First Domino is now also available on Kindle as well as Nook. My short story, Calvin, was a finalist in a contest sponsored by Futures Magazine. I am a co-founder of the Huron Area Writer’s Group in Huron County Michigan and I write a bi-monthly column, and review mysteries for myshelf.com.






9 Comments »

  1. Another great story! I’m so glad you could find the inspiration in your teacher’s rant! I probably would have crawled under a rock and never tried again. Best of luck to you, Dennis.

    Comment by mountainmama — August 1, 2011 @ 4:56 am

  2. It is interesting to see that writing has always been a part of Dennis’ life. I would have wilted under the teacher’s rant, but he flourished!

    Comment by Connie — August 1, 2011 @ 6:14 am

  3. That’s great! I never had anything that dramatic, but, in hindsight, the times my teachers were most annoyed by my work were probably the times I had really accomplished something.

    Comment by Gary Hoover — August 1, 2011 @ 6:14 am

  4. The power of our elementary school days never goes away. It is the basis for my own first book, “Ednor Scardens”. Sounds like Dennis’ dominos are still falling.

    Comment by Kathleen Barker — August 1, 2011 @ 8:03 am

  5. This is a healthy way of framing “negative” feedback. After all, boring writing doesn’t inspire vehement objections, does it? Thanks, Dennis.

    Comment by Sara — August 1, 2011 @ 8:28 am

  6. That’s hilarious. I guess not all of our work will always get “good reviews,” but evoking powerful emotions is a talent. I am glad you took it in stride and went forward with your writing!

    Comment by Savvy — August 1, 2011 @ 10:03 am

  7. I think our own personal vision of success has to sustain us through all the bad reviews, rejections etc. Sometimes, it’s all we have.

    Comment by Karyne — August 1, 2011 @ 12:10 pm

  8. What a great Made It Moment! I so enjoyed reading it and laughing at Dennis’ humor.

    Comment by Sandy — August 1, 2011 @ 1:34 pm

  9. Dennis, thanks for sharing that story about your 4th grade Made-It Moment. I think it’s fabulous you saw through the fear of expulsion to realize your writing had made an impact to that degree. That is amazing motivation, and I bet you’ve used that attitude throughout your automotive career, too. My husband’s family is also involved in the auto industry in Michigan (his grandparents live out near Flint, and they own a company that makes assembly machines), so I can imagine the impact that the environment in which you live has had on your writing, too. Best of luck with the latest release!

    Comment by Becca — August 1, 2011 @ 2:32 pm

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