I have a secret I want to let you in on:  I wrote a book.

Not much of a secret now, but not many knew.  Even among close friends and associates. But that has more to do with when it was written.

For one final time, we will step into the deep past, to explain why this is.  And, by deep, I mean deep.

The year was (on or about) 1991.  I had an assignment to write a short story: 500 words, any genre (sci-fi, fantasy, modern life, steampunk. Maybe not steampunk yet…).  I had a few days, so I bounced a few ideas off my head (I was introverted.  Actually, I am introverted, I’ve just accepted that there are others, known as ‘people,’ and they aren’t going away), and came up with a story.

With any story, you likely need nouns to wrap your verbs and adjectives around, so chose people I knew for my nouns.  The story was simple and basic (to me; I don’t think that it actually was, but I thought it was, anyway), and it was interesting to me.  I got a really good grade on it, and I shared it with others (I know, I was surprised too.  Why would I be talking to ‘people?’  I must’ve been going insane in my joy) and they thought it was a neat story (Yeah, clearly I was going crazy.  Not just talking at ‘people,’ but having ‘conversations.’ I was probably lucid with joy).  I decided to listen to the others and continue the story (Not sure where I was getting this energy from.  It drains me to think I was talking to so many people, but it was probably spread over a longer period of time than I remember).

But, it was only a short story.  By the time I finished that grade of school, it was maybe 35 pages in a composition notebook, and many things implied by my knowledge of the characters (i.e., my friends).  The people reading the story were basically reading about how I saw them in this situation, so there was almost nothing for details (even they were likely filling in a lot of blanks in the story.  But, this also helped me get ideas to continue it since they would say “I would do this…,” or “I wouldn’t do that!”).  I started a good outline for a book.  The actual book wouldn’t come until much later.

I realize now that for most writers, this is one thing that helps you flesh out a story: Bouncing ideas off of ‘people.’  I realize now that ‘people’ do more than convert the available oxygen to carbon dioxide or consume available resources for food and shelter. They can also provide ideas and insights, and help one be a better writer.

As good as my outline was with their help, I obviously needed more to get to a book.  But, this was my start.  Next week, we’ll touch on how I got to the actual book, without really going into the other details covered previously.

Before I depart for the week, I will mention that while I can seem stand-offish when I write my blog, I’m much worse in person.  To prove my point, I’ve chosen to venture out in the world and speak to ‘people.’  I’ve chosen to make an appearance November 3rd, 2018 at the St. Louis Indie Book Fair, in Missouri, United States, North American Continent.  It’s on the third planet orbiting the star the locals refer to as Sol, in the so-named system.  Not sure where you might be seeing this blog, so I figure I would give the ballpark location of the venue. Should your circumstances permit, I invite you to visit me in person here and see why I don’t come out in public (Don’t ask about the scar. Just… don’t).  Should they not, I’ll be publishing another blog next week about writing.

Thanks for reading!  Please like and share! You can follow on Facebook, Tumblr, and read excerpts from The Silent Invader @RB_Thurman (and follow!), in addition to the chapters I add here. If you prefer, you can also read my posts on Goodreads.  Next month (November 2018) I will be making an appearance in physical form.  It will be on the North American continent, in the United States, in the state of Missouri.  I am attending the 2018 St. Louis Indie Book Fair, along with a number of other authors, and I invite you to join us there.  In the coming weeks, I’ll be providing more info through my blog, but you can learn more about it here.

As always, your comments are welcome below.  Also, sign up now to receive notifications for when the next blog arrives.