I’ve always been hard – unrealistically so – on myself. I’ve known that for ages and it’s the one thing that every therapist I’ve ever had has had little success in assisting me to overcome. It’s far easier for me to forgive someone else something or to cut someone else some slack than it is for me to allow myself the same. Fatal flaw? I’m not sure as it’s proven to kept me constantly seeking to do more and better things and to be a better person.

Actually, I don’t have your e-mail address, sadly. I know (or am, at least, I’m pretty sure!) that you have mine from my comment postings here. If not, let me know and I’ll post it for you, k?

Don’t be annoyed with you. Stuff happens. Is there anything that *I* can do to help *you*? You have my email address, right?

Ugh . . . given current circumstances, I’m not really at my best to reply with all that I’d initially hoped. I’m kind of pissed at myself for that.

If there’s any way I can help you, I will. Gladly!

It is only rarely that I see comments on blogs that are better than the blogs they comment on This is one of those times. It is interesting to peer into your mind through your words and see what’s up in there, Good stuff!

No, you can’t have too many denim shirts.

The non-fiction book is coming along, a least on those days when I can clear the decks of my mind for action, and that is certainly not every day. There is just too much competing for time in my brain. I have decided the same as you have about the current state of the world of fiction publishing, and further that fiction should probably not be self-published. So I’m waiting. Perhaps some private novel screenings could be arranged,

Maybe we should talk sometime about the promotion of the non-fiction book. I am up in the air about how to publish and sell it, It’s a while yet, unless my head miraculously clears tomorrow and I am not holding my breath. Busy, busy, busy.

I am open to any suggestion in the area of writing that may spark me to try something new and different. I need to get back to painting. I need to build some more furniture. I need to stretch my writing skills. I need days of infinite length.

Thank you, so much, for taking the time to write such an incredible comment. I will try to do it justice in future posts. There is a lot in your comment to think about. And, when I do a garage vlog, I’ll dedicate it to you.

Your reasons for blogging are some of the most pure and well thought out that I have seen stated.

I can’t watit to read your forthcoming non-fiction book and would absolutely love to read your fictional work. I mostly read non-fiction because I’m terribly, terribly picky about what I read and most fiction simply doesn’t do it for me. Perhaps it’s that my first “real” job (outside of managing a bookstore that mainly catered to roleplaying games and collecters of rare books, which was a great first job) was at Steve Jackson Games. In addition to other duties, I did a lot of editing and ghost writing. Roleplaying games being what they are, there’s a lot of fictional and creative elements that go into such productions, with sidebars running through a number of the books for fluidity as much as for demonstrative purposes. Back to the point, I’m truly interested to see the meshing of fiction wrapped around an autobiographical account. Given what I do know of the current state of the publishing industry (from my days at SJG I have friends who have gone on to bigger and better things therein), it is in a state of massive change, so I doubt that what you’re experiencing is some form of rejection. From what I’ve heard, most companies don’t want to take on anyone they’d truly like to keep for any length at the moment because of the chaos. Waiting out the storm is most likely your best bet.

And sci-fi . . . *actual* sci-fi?! Please don’t tease me! Now, that’s fiction I would read!

You are indeed a professional writer. The novelist portion of that may be up for debate, but if the work is done (mostly – editors and publishing houses being what they are and working as they do) and all that’s left is a matter of finding the right publisher, I think it should count. At least that’s my humble opionion, for what it may be worth.

You could always hire someone to handle the promotion end of things – like someone (cough, cough) to develop a site subsection for fan interaction, sales, a Wiki even . . . It’s just a thought. You could even put a newsletter and forums up. The webdev has many ideas for how a subsite (or a separate, albeit cross-linked one) could be done!

As for new territory, the world is your playground. You’re already doing what you’d like to do, which is a good start. Are you looking for new subjects to dive into, ‘types’ of writing to branch out in, a new medium, or something altogether different? Such a question begs for more clarification as to what your desires and aims are if it is to be addressed in the best manner possible.

Oh, and I think that a post and vlog from your garage would be incredibly awesome! ^_^

I’ll end this comment with one of my favorite quotes:

Success isn’t measured by the position you reach in life: it’s measured by the obstacles you overcome.
Booker T. Washington