I know it's not Thanksgiving, but today I want to give thanks for some things. I have two lists:
General
- My darling wife: She is a wonderful friend, mate and companion in life. We don't have everything in common (and nor should we) but we share the same opinions on the things that matter most to us, like family, house, work, travel, our pets. We have never argued for more than a few moments. We communicate openly about things that trouble us, whether each other or the world around us. I believe there is nothing we cannot go through together. Thank you, Tamara, for supporting everything that I do, even my crazier ideas. I shall always reciprocate.
- Family: Though my father passed on years ago, my mother and sister are my best friends. Being half the world away doesn't prevent us from having a lot of fun.
- Health: I do not have perfect health, but my condition has been stable for almost twenty years, and I cannot complain about the few bumps now and then. Getting old sucks, heh, but I am determined to suffer the aches and pains, failing eyes, etc., with grace. Many in this world do not have the health I have, so who am I to complain.
- Freedom: As numerous as the problems with the US government and economy are, (and indeed in most of the world these days), I am thankful to live in a land where I can say what I like (within reason), think what I like, and largely act as I like, without restriction of movement. I think all of us take this for granted. Certainly laws are becoming more restrictive and some are downright unconstitutional, but I am not in jail, not a slave, and not subject to police/army searches and curfews.
- Food and Water: Another gift we take for granted. I can eat what I want, when I want, with no more effort than a drive to the grocery store. I do not have to walk 4 hours each way across a desert to get warm, dirty water and a bowl of rice. I never go hungry, quite the opposite, and am shedding pounds as I write this. I have hot food, cold food, pure water from a tap in my house. I am happy to donate food and time to collections of food for the needy.
- Power: I have seemingly endless power available to me 99.999% of the time. I can take hot showers, cook my food, watch TV, write on this computer, light my house in the evening. I do not squander power, but am very thankful for the amenities and comforts it affords.
- Friends: I prefer quality over quantity and have shared some wonderful, fun times with my friends, in real life and around the world online. They are there for me, and I for them. When my day is down, they cheer me up.
- The World: This world, indeed the universe, is an astonishingly wonderful place. Something special, no matter how tiny, happens every minute, and I wish I could savour every single event. Our world is rich in animals, plants, terrain, people and cultures. How spectacular it is that the world and its people are not uniform and dull. Just stepping out of the house, whether into nature or into the city, is an adventure, and we are lucky to have that.
- Interesting Times: I adore living in such interesting times. I'm sure that all times are to those that live them, but as a geek, the accelerating pace of science and technology is tremendously exciting. I have seen so many incredible inventions in my life. What more will I live to see? Our migration into space? Endless power? Saving the world from ourselves? Curing disease and hunger? Warp drive? Teleportation? Bring it on!
- Life itself: Very easy to take for granted. My parents nurtured me into an adult and I have every reason to hope for a long lifespan. To where we go after our death is between you and your chosen religion, but I for one am excited to continue my journeys and adventures after this life. Perhaps I will have learned sufficient in this life to assist others with theirs.
Writing
Since this is ostensibly a writing blog, let's have a quick look at 10 things to be thankful for in my budding writing career:
- Creativity: I have no shortage of ideas and am thankful that I have always possessed an inquiring and imaginative mind. I hope my readers get to share and enjoy some of my wildest ideas, worlds and characters.
- Freedom of Publication: So many people have embraced the new opportunities to become an author. I do not have statistics, but I swear there are thousands more authors on the shelves of the bookstores than there were in my youth. And when we step away from Traditional Publishing into Indie publishing, my word what an explosion! Never before in the history of man has it been so easy for creative writers to bring their work before readers in a worldwide marketplace. Do all these books have merit? Perhaps not, but I trust the reader to find what they enjoy.
- Readers: I am thankful for those very readers, especially as a new author. I do not take it lightly that complete strangers trust me to deliver entertainment, and buy my book in a world with so much choice. I hope I have not let anyone down, and bless you all for sharing my writing journey. The best is still to come!
- Reviewers: Thank you to the review bloggers who, with no financial reward from the author, give up their time to read (which they would do anyway, I'm sure) but more importantly, write lengthy reviews and help promote new authors. That's got to be a tough job. Thank you also to every reader that takes time out of their day to write a few words or even just rank books online. This helps both the author and fellow readers.
- Ebook Publishers: Certainly the publishers are in it for the money, but I still give thanks for the recent and sophisticated tools that these companies build to make it easier for Indie authors to get our books onto the market. In just a few hours, a couple of days at most, we can have well-formatted books on multiple formats around the world. We shouldn't take that for granted. Not everyone is an HTML-savvy coder. Even though I am, obviously I'd rather be writing my next book. Thank you Amazon, Smashwords, B&N, Apple, Kobo, and others.
- Authors: I have met so many wonderful people willing to give free and lengthy advice, tips and knowledge. It is wonderful that we do not think of each other as competitors.
- Honest Critiques: I love it! Thank you to friends, critique partners, beta readers and everyone who has read my work in a rough state and taken the time to tell me what works and what doesn't. My writing is better because of all of you.
- Time: All authors want more time to write, but I thank my workplace for not making me work long hours, and my wife (again!) for allowing me quiet time to write. I'm not a fast writer, so I need time, and my mind boggles to think of how moms can write books while running the household and looking after small kids. Wow.
- Promoters: Thanks to my family, friends, fellow authors and anyone who has helped promote my first book; with a particular shout out to Kellie Sheridan and my buddies at Untethered Realms. It's a tough market to get noticed in, and I am truly grateful for your generous promotion and putting your own name and reputation behind my book.
- I can write: Ooh, this one sounds a little egotistical, doesn't it? My writing journey has only just begun and I have much, much to learn, but I can write a good enough story with enough craft that people are enjoying my first book. Can I do better? Absolutely, but I am proud of my debut book. I think it is definitely decent enough for consumption. May readers be free to tell me otherwise. 🙂 But I give thanks that, given the hundreds of ideas that I want to capture into stories, that I have the capability to do so.
