I just found out that another one of my pieces has been accepted for publication.
Who’s awesome? Me and this guy.
That means that I’m two for three, or batting .667. That’s a monstrous number in baseball. Not even the great Ted Williams ever hit much higher than .400. (Notice that I didn’t add an asterisk. That means that all writing was completed without steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.)
I forwarded the acceptance letter to W, who called to tell me how proud she is of me. “Are you so excited?” she asked.
Who’s scared? Me and this guy.
“I’m hiding under the covers with the cat,” I told her.
She knew to let me be. Actually, I wasn’t under the covers with the cat. I was lying on top of them with the cat immobilized by fear.
I had told W last night that I need to start working on a query letter and book proposal. I explained how everything is right there in my sights, almost in my grasp.
“That’s awesome,” she said.
“Scary-awesome,” I replied.
That pretty much sums up my feelings on moving forward with my writing. It’s awesome to think that I’m close — closer than I’ve ever been — to realizing my bucket list goal of writing a book and having it published.
But scary, too. Memoir is so very personal and soul-baring. It’s like writing naked. Or more accurately, it’s like writing naked about your naked self. I am more prude than nudist, and therein lies the problem.
Crap, I should have just written about vampires.
The Flannel Files 
Vampires? -meh … Naked Butch memoirs? – priceless …
Hope you and kitteh rebound soon.
Congratulations 😀
Okay, that comment made my day.
Kitten and I are sitting upright at my desk and writing.
You rock!
I try. Sometimes I just feel like a rock.
In this series you are batting .667, but lifetime career probably not so high. Maybe you are starting a streak (a naked butch streak)? Congrats.
Lifetime, not a .667. But it is a streak, a run of good luck. I’ll see how long I can keep it up. Pete Rose once hit safely in 44 games in a row.
Is it too late for a pseudonym? …. Guess So …. It’s out there and loose now better get a super butch super hero disguise (im thinking plaid cape, biker boots, maybe a zorro like mask, leather pants….) and turn into your alter ego until the dust settles.
Seriously I think its great that you are/will be published – like you its on my bucket list but I am nowhere near your batting average…. I respectfully tip my butch hat to you (well I would if I had a hat … but hopefully you get the idea!)
D’oh. I never thought of a pseudonym. Although I write this blog under one. At some point in time, my anonymity on the Flannel Files will collide with the publication of works under my real name. Hadn’t thought about that. Guess I’ll go hide under the sheets — or maybe invest in a Zorro mask and flannel cape as you suggested.
Thanks for your kind words.
No hat? What butch doesn’t own 2 or 12 baseball caps?
I have to admit I do have several hats but I don’t wear them much as Im told the ‘cowboy’ look doesn’t look natural in South West England! Im hoping it will catch on at some point….
Perhaps at some point you will reveal yourself to your flannel file readers but only when you are ready – there is nothing wrong with having works published as yourself but maintaining this blog under the ‘flannel’ guise – its all you and we will still enjoy reading .
The anonymity of writing as Middle-age butch is what gave me the courage to start writing this blog in the first place. But, yeah, there will come a time when I rip off the flannel mask. Sooner rather than later, I think.