I’ve done a lot of performing, both as a member of choirs and as an actor in amateur theater. There is a saying that if you don’t have butterflies before going on stage – have that sense of anticipation – then you’re not really in the moment. That you’re not ready to go on and give it your best. Putting yourself out there like that of front of an audience is not for everyone, but for those of us who get a charge from it, there is no more exhilarating a feeling.

That’s what I’m feeling now, since as of today, my book is out in the “wild”. It’s a feeling of joy at the accomplishment of getting it out there, and the anticipation of how it will be received.

I won’t lie: I want to it to be enjoyed by folks and hope that it makes people keep turning the pages to see what happens next. Those of us who do perform are in some way looking for that response from our audiences. There are as many reasons for wanting that response as there are people who perform. It’s different for everyone, touching a different part of ourselves; scratching a certain itch in our psyche.

For me as a writer, I realized at some point in the process that I just like to tell stories. I talk in the form of stories most of the time; imparting my life and thoughts to others in the form of telling some small tale about my life. It is who I am and how I communicate. I hope that people enjoy how I’ve chosen to tell this story. It’s a wonderful feeling.