Keeping Faith

Hi Folks!

Yes, it’s me. I know by all appearances it seems as if I may have shuffled off this mortal coil, but let me assure you, oxygen still courses through my lungs. :)

Needless to say, it would not be too subtle an understatement to say an update on the status of my book was in order. My sincerest apologies. While I may be tempted to hide behind the excuse of the last two years of lockdowns and pandemic-induced restrictions, that would be too convenient a cop-out.

So, where do things stand with my manuscript? It is now in the hands of a new publisher and is currently undergoing the second (and hopefully last) revision prior to final publication. I know in my last communiqué I indicated the book would be ready by the end of 2021, but time constraints along with life in general, contributed to the delay. While I do not have an actual hard date set for publication, I will be exercising faith and say it should be ready no later than the beginning of summer this year. Hopefully sooner.

This year makes five years since I literally and figuratively put pen to paper for this endeavour. I certainly did not envision this length of time for completion, but given the end is now in sight, at a minimum I feel it is incumbent on me to be more proactive and consistent with my communication.

Now, this presents a few inescapable challenges for me. My personality and predisposition are not things that easily lend themselves to self-promotion. Now granted, while it is my desire to not only introduce, inform and to a certain extent give impetus for people to read my book, how I engage in that process seems daunting. Since I am traversing new literary territory, my desire is not only to provide an opportunity for people to acquire my book, but more importantly, for the book to be meaningful, impactful, and worth their time.

A book by all rights is already meaningful to its author, but when (especially first time) authors choose to place themselves “out there” through their writing for all to see and comment on, they instinctively undergo a range of self-assessments related to the quality and purpose of what they have written. It is a natural course of action, one that needs to be managed with a proper perspective. For example, in my case, I am saying all this in an effort to keep the hounds of panic - well…more like intense guerrilla attacks of nervousness at bay. :)

In all seriousness, I am looking forward to sharing my first published book with whoever wishes to read it. If I am being patently honest with myself, I am keenly aware the subject matter, writing style, heck…even the book's cover design may not be to everyone’s liking, however that is what makes being an author so special. They bring uniqueness and diversity to a genre that is ever-expanding and always full of unexpected sources of discovery.

Given the times we are now living in, my prayer is for my book to bring a semblance of  comfort, hope, encouragement, and an opportunity for the reader to catch a glimpse of themselves as portrayed through the eyes of this individual. Just another carbon-based life form who is still in the throes of discovery of who he is, but more importantly, who he was created and destined to become.

I promise, (again) I will do my best to keep everyone updated on the final stages leading up to the actual publication of my book. 

I cannot wait!