“One Bite At A Time” Chapter 141

Are you a fiddler? Can’t seem to just relax while your mind races along? Maybe you are a multi-tasker?

Before my ALS diagnosis, Laura told me I was all of the above. Now, I am … still the same. It’s all in my head and it wants out. The only real difference is that before, I was able to act out my thoughts. Now I have been forced to shift to writing them out. In regards to multi-tasking, sure I can still do that. Why, right now as I write this, I am thinking about the bug in my ear. He-he that tickles. Hell, even my body is multi-tasking. My head is sweating, my arms and hands are cold, and my ass hurts from sitting all-day-long.

Last year I was introduced to a new program the ALS Association was offering. Creative Pursuits is a program open to PALS and Caregivers that offers a variety of classes. I had been writing my blog for about a year and noticed some of the classes were writing related. Oh, a beautiful butterfly fly just landed on my toe (oops, multi-tasking kicked in). Anyway, I was taking my first class and from day one I met some really cool people who were all in various stages of their ALS journey. All of them I now call my friends. At first I was a little intimidated thinking I wasn’t really a writer. Would this class be graded? The I realized the classes are for everyone and nothing else matters. You won’t be graded, and hell, if you wanted, you could just sit and listen. I guarantee that by the end of the class, you will have met a new friend and want to come back. I know what you’re thinking. How can I get in on the fun?

Here’s the fall catalog:

https://www.als.org/support/programs/creative-pursuits-program/fall-2025-catalog

The schedule works quarterly and some classes will meet once, while others meet several times. I was in my second semester and taking a class on character development when I thought of Clyde. Clyde is an optometrist who collects eyeballs. I didn’t know where the idea came from, but it did and I ran with it. Over the next few classes, I wrote about Clyde and Liz - the program director and now my friend - suggested I keep going with Clyde and write a book. "I don’t know how to write a book,” I responded back to her. Well my mind started to wander and my body was groovin, so I wrote a chapter and shared my idea with a few people. I did some research and found that fiction books average 60,000-100,000 words. 😱 I’ve been known to make up a story or two, but damn!  

I figured I was just sitting there dying, so why not live a little? I began writing a little bit every day. I was not sure how big this elephant was going to get, but I was going to eat the shit out of it, one bite at a time. This wasn’t my memoir, and I have this blog for that. However, I did want to highlight ALS somehow in my work of fiction. I decided to write a Phycological Thriller and for five months I ate well. When I was done, I had no idea that had been the easy part.

For the last three months I have been working with an editor and a cover designer, improving my manuscript, spending lots of hours learning about marketing, researching sites to sell it on, and exploring other topics about being a successful author. I’m supposed to be retired, why am I working so hard? Laura might tell you it’s because I can’t sit still. 

The past two weeks I have been sending out advanced copies to a select few (its a marketing strategy), and one of my readers - someone I consider a friend - told me, “I must admit that I was a bit taken aback by the darkness of the book.  I don’t know what I was expecting, but sex scenes, mutilation, and murders were a surprise." We exchanged thoughts about this. Initially I said maybe it is suppressed anger coming out. But, now I think it’s just my creative side I’ve always had coming out in a different genre. Why can’t I be a good guy with a dark lining? I can’t imagine Steven King runs around killing people or playing with clowns all day.

Well I am proud to say I finished eating that elephant and it was good. Laura and I decided to donate ALL proceeds to ALS organizations as part of my legacy. Not your genre? Buy it for a friend.

I am also offering “Meet the author zoom nights” for book clubs. Don’t just guess what I was thinking, I’ll tell you. 

To be clear it’s a link to my book not an elephant. Ebook and paperback available on 14 Aug, which happens to be my birthday. Find it on Amazon HERE.

Now that I am a published author I guess I can say I am a writer. We all have something inside of us waiting to come out. So let out. I hope to see you in the classroom and I hope enjoy and share my book.

Love and Blessings

 

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