The Life of an Author. . .

Tonight I sit, exhausted, at the kitchen table, surrounded by notes and scribbles and printed emails.  The dominating feature of the landscape is a glass of Merlot, rising like a pillar above the haphazard knolls of paper that, in their own, seemingly deliquescent fashion, have begun to flow around my computer and inundate the once untouched surface.  In the midst of this maelstrom of pulped and sheeted fiber floats, puzzlingly, a lone ping pong ball.

Those of you who have known me the longest, are aware of the wonderful anguish and torment I have put myself through, lo, these many years, cobbling together works of the written word,  For all the toil and sweat and heart I have put into my collection of stories, to think that a work of non-fiction would be my first, mainstream-published project is almost laughable.  By laughable, of course, I mean in a "Joker laughing before he makes your head go explodey" way.  The thought makes me pour another glass.

Though I have been published in the past (mostly for freelance articles, short stories, and the occasional poem), I have never taken "the big step".  I am standing on the edge right now, of having one of my works available to the World Theatre, where there are things like ISBN numbers and book signing tours.  To be honest, I'm a bit freaked out.

In the middle of developing "Legends of the Sungrazers", I came up with the idea for doing an instructional book, called "Cooking for Adventurers".  Despite the name, it isn't a cookbook, so much as a guide for dealing with having to cook in adverse situations.  It was supposed to be a hobby project, rather than one that would dominate the last couple of years.  As it has grown, I've poured more into it than I had originally intended, finally adding a chapter on survival, as well.  This little hundred-page hobby has turned into a 500 pound, snaggle-toothed Kodiak bear.  The most ironic thing is how much fun I've had working with this project.  It has gotten me thinking about revisiting an old idea about a home improvement guide which, honestly, I gave a few notes to and then promptly shelved the notion.  It may still wait for my next sci fi story, though.

To all of you, I ask, "be patient".  I may be moody and irritable and, quite possibly, even more strange than I usually am.  The next few weeks are going to be a trying time for me, but I think it will be worth it.  I mean, if writing my way across the galaxies is so easy, then a simple instructional book shouldn't be a problem, right?  We'll see.  The main reason for this little rambling pile of ranting is the fact that I have an appointment with a publishing consultant tomorrow.  Wish me luck. . .

Wait a minute.  I don't own a ping pong table. . .