Gettin Published

I was commiserating with a friend (English teach/writer turned lawyer because somebody has to feed the dogs and kids) today about how hard it is to get published these days when he reminded me that Ive been published a buttload.

Buttload BTW is my word for the day and means; lots, oodles, more than average in a a quirky sort of way i.e. I like you buttloads.

He's right, I've been uber fortunate to get my stuff into some major U.S. papers and magazines with global reach so I should really stop bitchin and get back to writing. For those of you who fantasize daily, like I do (when I'm done with Scarlett Johansson and Jello) about being an author, you realize that it's not about what you've already done but what's coming next.

I tend to work on a screenplay or two and a couple of novels all at the same time. If I do it that way, whenever one of my characters isn't behaving the way I'd like them too, I just move on to the next one or the next project. Its a huge perk of being a writer - if you don't behave, I won't invent you. I'll let you shrivel up and die and disappear into the great nothing and no one will ever know you even existed.

Its harsh but its good for the soul to have power over something sometimes. I'm married and have kids so I have power over nothing. For me, power over my character isn't so much a nicety as a need and let me tell you; I have needs - did I mention Scarlett Johansson and Jello?

Anyyyyway - Its not being published that drives me, although the car does need a new alternator and my middle son has a hollow leg, oh yeah and the border collie needed surgery last week.

I write because I want people to feel, if only for a moment, the way I feel, the way my characters feel when they live their lives. Getting cash on the side would be cool but to me its more about sharing the emotion and the day to day that make up the here and now. One day, one or more of my novels will sell and the vet can cut up the dog without fear of that look in my eye - you know the one measuring the balance between surgery and the final shot.

Of course to get there, I should probably go find an agent.