To Be a Writer

This may seem (and sound) strange, but it struck me the other night...I mean, it hit me. It became clear, that I am now an author. I mean, I wrote a book. It was "picked up" by an established publisher, and it was published. It is now available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and I actually have a publicist working to market it.

OK, I said it may sound strange, especially in the light of the fact that I had already written a book with two coworkers a couple of years (almost to the day) earlier. That was a good book. A very good book. I read it over again from time to time, and I really like the writing. We (Don, Mike, and I) made a really good team.

But, well, the latest work (that's what the publisher's call a book) was done solo. Not that I didn't have a lot of help. My brother, Mac, Danita, Leah, Marin, Don, and Michael all helped. As did my daughter. But, I wrote it on my own. It's my book. Wow. I actually am a published author.

So I updated my LinkedIN profile. I added "author." I also updated my resume - not just listing the books under "publications" but I also added the job title of "author."

I look back and realize I'm not sure how I actually got it done. How did I manage the time?

So, now the next question is..."what's next?" I want to write another book...this time a novel. I also want to "get back" to my artwork. My daughter continues to impress and inspire me with her artwork. I want to get my hands back into it. So, I found old artwork, 35mm slides I had taken of my portfolio when I was younger than my daughter...and found the piece I was telling her about on the way home. I had remembered the prose I had added to the unoriginal art I had "created" - the prose I still remembered to this day.

That (the fact that I remembered it) may not seem strange or even interesting...but if you know of my poor memory you would understand why I am impressed that after all of these years, the passage I wrote has stayed with me. What you might not find at all surprising (even if you do know me) is that I remembered it incorrectly.

I was only a little disappointed that I didn't remember it correctly. I say that because I like the incorrect version better than the original. I credit that to my years of experience and improved writing ability. So, my new focus is now on accomplishing one of two things...a series of artwork I have been "planning" for over then years OR a novel. I can rework, rewrite, market, or self-publish the Time Warp King OR I can start (restart) working on my art series.

Or, I can do both.

P.S. I think it unfair that I don't share my prose which I referred to...although I'd really like to share the art also (but it being on a 35mm slide - and my lacking the equipment to scan it to my computer - makes that impossible at this moment).

"And on that day, Man, himself, submerged beneath the waters of his sins, held above the deadly tide, the answers t the world."

Let's Do The Time Warp Again!

It's been over a month since I posted! I've been hitting the snooze button over and over again on my reminder to post. I just didn't realize for how long! Time just slipped away. Amazing really. So here I am, finally getting to work again. My only excuse is the picture of Julia Roberts was sooo awesome, I didn't really want to replace it!

So, I'm less than three months from my birthday AND my deadline for the fifty things to accomplish. Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with a rehash of them all...I'll save that for my birthday.

But since Jan, a lot has happened, all worth noting here.

1. Found a publisher for my book on Metrics (measures for improvement)
2. Have to get first three chapters done by the end of this month, and the rest done by November. Yup, less time to post on the blog (NOW I'll have a good excuse)
3. Started P90X on March 12th. I bought it, planned, got equipment together and then started it! I'm on the 4th week and lovin' what I'm getting out of it. It's basically like any set of exercise DVDs you can buy - but I'm lovin' it because it's my incentive to get in shape. Once I'm done, I'll do 90 days of One-A-Days (see previous post).
4. Found someone to help me finally finish my chess book (well, I have to focus on the Metrics book first...but, hey, I'll need a diversion occasionally).
5. Realized that all of the criticisms about the book I wrote with Alyssa - The Time Warp King, was from adults...not the target audience of young teens. All of the young teens that have read it "loved it." So why in the world was I planning massive changes to it? So, instead, I'm eliciting a few teens to read it and give me feedback. Based on that we'll see what we do next.
   
6. Alyssa and I agreed/thought it would be fun to make drawings for each chapter. An excuse to get back to doing art work.

So, here I am, excited and VERY busy. Work has me busy. The metrics book has my nights taken up, and P90X takes what-ever's left. Fun, fun, fun! Now if I can only get my eldest to have a sensible plan about his near-term future, life would be great. The best I can figure, he's planning on bumming around Europe with a pal, and once they run out of money, come back and be a bum on the west coast. Literally.

Hopefully something will break through and put some sense in his head. I can always pray.
So, since I'm looking for feedback and readership I'm thinking each week I'll post a chapter (give or take) of our book here. Perhaps you can read it and give me your thoughts. And at least tell me any ideas you may have for pictures/drawings for the chapters.

It's 15 chapters - if you count the Prologue and Epilogue as chapters. Hope you enjoy it!