I’ve been writing novels for ten years now. Before that, since at least the 4th grade (I’ll tell you about that moment sometime), written words have been my preferred form of communication and self-expression. It’s long been a dream of mine to write a book that other people might want to read and give something back to the world in my own small way.
Books have given me so much in so many ways that I wouldn’t know where to start. Truthfully, I read relatively slowly and didn’t read a book of my own free will until my late 20s. It took an original B&N Nook and a severe health issue that kept me in bed for a month to overcome my reluctance (a strange story for another day). But once I did, a whole world opened up to me.
Initially, I felt drawn to the classics. I came to admire great authors like some people would a talented singer, movie director, or actor. I was stunned that a writer without a computer or internet could weave such complicated tales. That fact became almost an obsession, and I started to piece apart every novel I read like I was doing a book report. I loved seeing how each writer worked or, in some cases, didn’t.
No one can deny the greats are, well, great, but my inspiration, and who I think about any time I’m lost, staring at a blank page, is my grandfather. He told the kind of tales many of us experienced when we were little—the made-up-on-the-fly bedtime story. So it made sense that the old guy loved reading books like The Wizard of Oz to me, and my sister left me with a soft spot for that sort of writing.
I’ve considered taking up German just to read more of Walter Moers’ books.
Anyway, to get back on topic, I have some books that will soon be published. While I think they are solid contributions, I’d also like to share my writing experiences and lessons learned in the hope that they might be helpful to someone. Those posts will likely be once a week.
I’ve dutifully kept my distance from social media since 2016, blissfully unconnected. But is that any different than hiding under a rock? While I’m not ready for FaceBook or X, I’m back on Instagram and created a Threads account for book illustrations and news, respectively. Feel free to reach out to me on either.
Until next time, stay well, Jim