I understand your pain. I have a similar background. Dysfunctional family, left them to go to college, graduated with honors, two liberal arts degrees ... and then nothing. No great jobs waiting for me. I chalk it up to the liberal arts degrees. And not coming from money. I had no connections.
I worked a string of jobs where I was underpaid for about ten years. Then I got tired of that and carved out a niche for myself as a blogger/freelance writer for realtors. I also work one day per week as a rural mail carrier. I'm not rolling in money; I still have debt to pay off. But I'm able to make a living and write my short stories.
It was a long, hard road to get to this point. Sometimes you have to make something happen instead of waiting on someone to pick you. I got tired of being 'picked' by people I had no desire to slave away for, and all the bullcrap that entails.
I think you can follow your heart and carve out your own path. I'm here and I did just that. Still working on it.
