Becoming a Real Author

Since I was a child, I dreamed of writing and publishing a book. I wanted to tell a story that would entertain, edify, and be memorable for decades. I had many false starts throughout the years, from my first attempt at a novel (which I still work on, by the way) to segues into the comic writing world. They were all planned with detailed outlines and notes. Except for The Peppermint Dog. This one came freely and naturally, all in response to the NaNoWriMo challenge of 2017. I simply let the story build itself, let the characters interact and explore, and put my outlines aside. Somehow it all came together and I now have a story, published in book form. If I could tell my younger self this would happen, he’d probably say, “It’s about time! Get working on the sequel!”

I was impatient back then. Now I am more laid back, knowing that ideas come and ideas go, and as a writer, I put together the ideas to form art, not a product. I’m on no one’s schedule to output. Since my aim was never money or fame, but simply being the beat storyteller I could be, I don’t feel the pressure to succeed. Just simply be excellent. To write something my younger self would actually sit down in a comfy armchair and read beginning to end.

Order The Peppermint Dog today!