Three Weeks Out

I know what you're thinking...well, maybe not - not exactly, but I can probably guess. What in the world is a guy like me doing writing a book? Yeah, seriously, right? A lot of people are surprised when I tell them I've been writing for a while now. Then next question is always, do you have anything published?

How is it that someone I know fairly well doesn't know that essential nugget about me? Guess it never came up in conversation before. You see, I do a lot of other things besides writing books. What I do for fun, mostly, in my spare time is write. Family aside, that has been a fairly well kept secret, though. Some of my past co-workers and classmates know about 'the books', and a few have heard pieces of the plots or read some of the material I have written. But, for the most part, the people who read my books tend to be total strangers. And that's okay. I mean, I get it - why people who know me don't read my books. Really, I do.

It's sort of freaky knowing someone personally and then reading his or her book. You hear the voice, you know some of the background, so it is a little bit distracting when you're reading because you're almost always second guessing things, trying to piece together the connections between the person you know and the author you are reading. I don't know, maybe that's why writers have this sort of aloof, hermit reputation, like you can't get to know anyone so well that they won't be able to read a book and become immersed in its fantasy world - or something like that. But I think my stories are engaging enough the draw anyone into them, even those who know me well. Give it a shot.

Some writers might tell you that it doesn't matter whether anyone reads their books as long as they buy them, but that has never made sense to me. If that is truly the case then why write them at all? If the objective were to make money there are many easier ways to do that than writing books. I think a real, honest writer would tell you its the other way around. As long as someone reads the book it doesn't matter as much if anyone actually buys it. The only problem with that is that a writer needs to make a living. And making a living is why aspiring writers have side jobs.

Everyone I know should at least sample Fried Windows (In a Light White Sauce), my next book that is due out three weeks from today. If you do, I'm sure you'll end up reading it the entire book. It's that kind of story. Also, you'll tell everyone you know to read it because that's what people do when they enjoy a story. And I'll continue writing; you'll continue reading and things will work out as i planned when I set out on this adventure several years ago.