One reason I decided to go public with my decision to quit drinking (via my newspaper column and social media) was to hold myself accountable. That proved to be a good idea.
Now I have another goal for which accountability is vital: I have written enough weekly columns over the last four years to create two new compilations of material. (My previous book, "Love & Fried Chicken," featured columns from my first two years of writing for the Boone County Journal.)
I will again self-publish these books and offer them for purchase on Amazon.com, and I will also order plenty to have on hand to sign and sell locally. I may even set up a booth at this year's Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival where I would offer all three volumes.
Although I am a substitute teacher, a public address announcer, a guitar builder, a minister, a husband, and a father, I am at my core a writer. In addition to publishing my books of columns, I also plan on writing another novel. My first effort, "Naked Snow Angels," was really just a collection of essays and short stories which I packaged as a fictional memoir. Next time I hope to write a pure, original work of fiction that I can convince a publisher to take a chance on.
Well, that's the plan. Now that it's public knowledge, I will have you and myself to hold me accountable. I'll keep you posted on my progress of course. I'd better get to work!
