In 2008, I found myself on an unexpected path at a small private college in Greenville, Illinois, pursuing a BA in music business. My motivation? To start a band with friends who had enrolled the year before. Little did I know this decision would lead me down a long fifteen-year road from Britney Spears to Cable Valley, shaping my journey as a writer.
As I went on my college journey, my focus was solely on music. The academic side took a backseat, and my memory of my professors and courses is, at best, hazy. However, there's one assignment I'll never forget— I had to analyze a work of art. So I chose what any nineteen-year-old in 2008 would choose: Britney Spears' early 2000’s song "Lucky."
At the time, Britney was in the midst of a very public meltdown, and "Lucky" seemed like a foreshadowing prediction of her struggles. I remember the first time I heard that song. I recalled thinking, although a poppy tune, it seemed eerily too accurate and that no one wanted to stop the Britney machine to see if she needed help. So when the inevitable breakdown happened along the exact timeline of my assignment, I didn’t blink twice about what piece of art I would choose. I dove into an eight-page analysis, exploring the song’s nuances and its relevance to Britney's daily life. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Eight pages almost killed me. I was NOT a writer, and although I loved music, writing eight pages worth of information and breaking down one song was painful. I eventually completed it and turned it in on time to receive credit, but I distinctly recall walking away from that assignment, saying, “Well, at least I know I’ll never be a writer.” Little did I know how wrong I was and that that assignment would plant a seed that would lay dormant until 2024.
After college and during my writing hiatus, I embarked on a career working with teenagers in the religious sect for over a decade before launching my own business as a full-time DJ and MC for weddings and private parties. While my new business flourished, my weekdays felt empty, and I was itching for a creative outlet to fill the void.
Then, a serendipitous moment occurred—a commercial on TV about hugely successful people who started their new careers later in life, one of which was J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series who wrote the first book while financially destitute and raising two kids after a nasty divorce. Hearing that story sparked an idea that would change everything. I was going to try to write a novel in my free time. With this newfound inspiration, I set out to write not just one novel but a five-book series. I know, crazy, but my new writing journey had started, propelled by a desire to explore new worlds and tell captivating stories.
The very next day, over breakfast with some friends, I shared my new ambition: to write a novel. As I revealed my plans, I boldly asked if I could use their kids' names for my main characters. With their enthusiastic consent, I felt a surge of motivation. The following day, I sat at my computer upstairs in my little office and began typing furiously. Within a month and a half, I had completed my first draft, pouring my heart and soul into every word.
All 89,000 of them.
Yet, the journey had just started. Over the next two months, I dived into the painstaking process of editing, seeking feedback from six beta readers and fine-tuning every aspect of the story. Along the way, I added three new chapters, removed one, and polished the manuscript until it gleamed with potential. I can now say I, Dane Boffey, have written a full-length young adult novel.
So why the title, From Britney Spears To Cable Valley? I chose that title because they both mark pivotal moments in my writing journey. The first was when I told myself who I wasn’t. The latter was when I stopped believing the lie and told myself who I actually am—a story-telling author who’s just waking up, so stay tuned.
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