The Fourth of July for me, this year, was rather fun and I want to share.
First, let me say that I knew in advance my daughter and I would be driving down to stay with my parents for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. My dad's brothers (plus their wives, of course... and Uncle Clark's children) were coming from Louisiana to visit and enjoy fireworks from the lake behind my brother's lake house (picture at left). So I knew it would be a good time and I was going to be there.
In advance of the occasion, I pushed myself to write my first, free, fantasy estory and get it online for my family members to download, read and review. I was in such a hurry, in fact, that I had my roommate read it instead of my usual beta reader. (As a writer, I have a lot of trouble getting reader review of my work and reviews build readership. It is really kind of depressing to spend so much time writing and grow my readership so slowly. So I was counting on my family to help me out with some honest reviews to help draw new readership.)
Sigh. It has been over two weeks since my aunts and two of the three attending cousins agreed to read the story. I guess they didn't like it because I have yet to receive a single review. Oh, well. Family is family. Even Jesus had trouble getting support from his. Here is a link to the free title if you, my actual readers, are interested in reading a short story (It goes to my webpage where multiple ereader platforms are listed):
Okay. So all of this is pretty eventful but it is not yet the best part. Here is the best part. Just before the holiday weekend, I got word from my longtime reader and very first fan that she was traveling from the U.K. to the U.S.A. for her honeymoon. (It is rather a nontraditional honeymoon, as the newlywed couple is traveling with two friends. But it makes them happy and builds good memories, and that's what counts. So good for them.) Their vacation destination was, of all places, Wisconsin Dells but they would be staying for the first few days in Madison. My fan requested a meeting.
As luck would have it, my parents live only about an hour's drive from Madison. So Anne and I stayed an extra day with my parents and I drove out to Madison to meet my first-ever fan, Mrs. Sorcha Liu. When I got there, she presented me with every single one of my printed books -- even one that I discontinued, to be signed for her collection. And that was the best part of my long and eventful holiday weekend. I came home the next day and slept for almost a week straight.
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| This year's fireworks from the boat |
In advance of the occasion, I pushed myself to write my first, free, fantasy estory and get it online for my family members to download, read and review. I was in such a hurry, in fact, that I had my roommate read it instead of my usual beta reader. (As a writer, I have a lot of trouble getting reader review of my work and reviews build readership. It is really kind of depressing to spend so much time writing and grow my readership so slowly. So I was counting on my family to help me out with some honest reviews to help draw new readership.)
Sigh. It has been over two weeks since my aunts and two of the three attending cousins agreed to read the story. I guess they didn't like it because I have yet to receive a single review. Oh, well. Family is family. Even Jesus had trouble getting support from his. Here is a link to the free title if you, my actual readers, are interested in reading a short story (It goes to my webpage where multiple ereader platforms are listed):
Before the fireworks, we all were at my brother's house and had just eaten dinner... (Seriously, I think I gained 7 pounds over the weekend!)... when my baby brother Skyped in over Mom's laptop. Living in Thailand, his days and ours are disjointed so we don't get to talk to him much. But he had something important to tell everyone: He is married. (Darn it! I wanted to be the one to elope on July 3! He is such a thief. I am SO disowning him.)
Okay. So all of this is pretty eventful but it is not yet the best part. Here is the best part. Just before the holiday weekend, I got word from my longtime reader and very first fan that she was traveling from the U.K. to the U.S.A. for her honeymoon. (It is rather a nontraditional honeymoon, as the newlywed couple is traveling with two friends. But it makes them happy and builds good memories, and that's what counts. So good for them.) Their vacation destination was, of all places, Wisconsin Dells but they would be staying for the first few days in Madison. My fan requested a meeting.
As luck would have it, my parents live only about an hour's drive from Madison. So Anne and I stayed an extra day with my parents and I drove out to Madison to meet my first-ever fan, Mrs. Sorcha Liu. When I got there, she presented me with every single one of my printed books -- even one that I discontinued, to be signed for her collection. And that was the best part of my long and eventful holiday weekend. I came home the next day and slept for almost a week straight.
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| Me with my #1 Fan |
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