Today is our 16th wedding anniversary. We aren’t making a big deal out of it. Money is tight, so we will celebrate with dinner at the Olive Garden. Last year we didn’t go out due to the pandemic. The weather is a bit cooler. That’s a real break. As Mrs. Lion wrote, we haven’t done anything for the last few days. I’m fine with that. My interest in sex is minimal right now. I’m never in the mood for one of Mrs. Lion’s spankings. It’s been too hot for her to spank me. Every cloud, or lack of clouds, has a silver lining.
I’m taking an online set of courses from Wesleyan University on creative writing. My college education was in computer science and didn’t include any courses on how to write fiction. I’m learning something. I also joined a website for writers. I can post things I write and get feedback from other writers. In exchange, I provide feedback to other members. The quality of the feedback I received for the first couple of chapters of a book I am writing was excellent. Very impressive. The chapters I edited were not very good.
Every year over 200,000 books are submitted for publication. Way less than one percent finds their way to publication. I’m truly fighting losing odds. Most publishers don’t accept submissions from authors. They only talk to literary agents. As you might imagine, agents are inundated with submissions. Depressing, no?
I’m too stupid to accept that the only publisher I will find is me. Self-publishing is pretty worthless. No one will buy a book unless they hear about it. I can’t afford advertising or a PR agent. Still, it seems worthwhile to try anyway. Someone wins the lottery. Why not me? There’s an old joke about an old man who tries to talk with God. He says, “God, I’ve been a good man. I help people. I am always kind and loving. I’ve never asked you for anything before. Can you please let me win the lottery?
A month goes by, and the man didn’t win. He repeats his prayer. Another month and he is still not winning. He gets exasperated. “God, why are you abandoning me? Did I ask for so much? What do I have to do to win the lottery?
There’s thunder and lightning. A deep voice comes from above. It sounds suspiciously like James Earl Jones.
“First, you have to buy a ticket!”
That’s why I am still writing.
