Today we’d like to introduce you to Cody Yarbro.
Cody, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I first started writing when I was young… my first meaningful memory is in 8th Grade. I had a 70-page blue and black spiral-bound notebook, I wrote the story of a boy who could control fire. I was maybe 12 or 13 years of age when I first came up with the idea of this character. I do not know at which point I lost this notebook, but I never lost the idea of the story.
Writing has always been the way I best express how I feel. I then started writing poems and songs in many journals. One of which I have still in a keepsake box hidden in the depths of my parent’s garage. It took me years to get back into writing this book, I didn’t begin to take it seriously until 2017 when I had been enrolled in Junior college. Unfortunately this same year, my car was broken until while I was in a 711 and they took everything. My laptop, school books, clothing, rent money and many other personal items. I guess you could say then is when I learned to not leave valuables in my car. But at attempt number two of writing this story, it being stolen from me, I became depressed and unmotivated. In 2018 I changed my mindset and began writing once again.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Oh my goodness. It’s been rough. Time, motivation, money and energy have honestly been my biggest struggles. I am usually working two jobs, up until about a year ago, I had three jobs. There was a point I was working 95 hours a week, no exaggerating there. San Diego is such an expensive town to live in and an even more expensive city to try and save money in. As you can imagine, I was always exhausted at this point. So writing sadly didn’t come easily. No energy and no time unfortunately meant my creative juices were not flowing.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am an aspiring Author. The first edition of my book is available on my blog. But something I have never seen done… I am writing a trilogy. I will release a condensed version on my blog and aspire to publish an extended version of each book I’m print. Give people a bite of the story but not a fully detailed version of it. I was nominated in 2018 for a local Nicky award for LGBTQ writer, it was an honor. I am proud of myself because this story has so much for so many types of people. It’s dystopian fiction, but what readers don’t know is that I’m basically sharing parts of my personal diary in each chapter.
What were you like growing up?
I was raised in a military household so my sister and I had to really grow up kind of quickly. My mother would probably tell you I was a social butterfly. I was never a shy kid and loved being the center of attention. I was in plays, loved to dance around and loved music!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wordpress.com/mindofagypsy
- Email: codyyarbro08@gmail.com
- Instagram: @codyXswift
Image Credit:
Benjamin Fitzpatrick.
Cody Yarbro.
Alexandria Yarbro.
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