Some of the very best Christmas presents aren't the ones that find their way under your tree. A few years ago, my gift was simply living to see another Christmas after spending a week in the hospital with blood clots (my pulmonologist was quite surprised I wasn't dead -- such a pleasant fellow). Since many of you will be flying long distances this holiday season, a friendly cautionary note: take a few simple steps to avoid deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) which can lead to pulmonary embolii--and death, if you're not as lucky as I was. For more information, check out sites like DVT.net. This year, another priceless gift arrived in the form of having my father's prostate cancer essentially cured via radiation, with the doctor telling him he was good for "at least another twenty years." You gotta love these little Christmas miracles which modern medical technology hath wrought.
Although nothing can quite compare with the gift of life, there are a few other mystery-related Christmas goodies for which I am humbly grateful in 2007:
- Starting this blog. This is a reciprocal offering, in a way -- I wanted to give mystery fans and mystery authors resources for research, news, and entertainment, my gift to the crime fiction faithful. But it's also been enjoyable for me, and I appreciate all the positive feedback that has come along since the blog's inception. It's definitely a gift that keeps on giving!
- I had six short stories and two articles published this year, which is encouraging, especially for someone who only recently was able to get into the world of writing after a long hiatus. One of the stories was a finalist in the Deadly Ink contest and was included in that anthology, now available on Amazon. The novel, in the meantime, is "out there," and hoping to find a publshing home in the not-too-distant future (hopefully within the decade!).
- Attending the Dying to Write 2 Conference. This is the first conference I had the good fortune to attend in awhile, and it was a pleasure. Not only was the conference well-organized, but I got to rub elbows and/or chat with authors Chris Grabenstein, John Lamb, Kathryn Johnson, Donna Andrews, Laura Lippman, and many more. Mystery writers are a fun bunch of folks.
- The chance to read a litte more this year. The "day job," the second job as a writer, the blog, and daily life help conspire to push moments for reading into the background. On a very long Amtrak ride (13 hours up and 12 hours back) in October, I was able to squeeze in six books, and I've been trying to find other golden opportunities ever since. The Christmas and New Year holidays should add some more fun time cuddling up with books (fortunately, the hubster doesn't get jealous). Chris Grabenstein sent along his latest, Hell for the Holidays, so that will go on top of the pile.
After all, with a book in your hand, life is good.
Comments