Letter to my Readers

Because I started writing creatively later in life, I’ve permitted myself to experiment with poetry, essays, nonfiction, and fiction, knowing I may never master any one genre.    My late start and lack of a fine arts degree have also made it impossible for me to get published, at least so far. I’ve self-published three books and 89 blog posts over the past nearly 10 years.  Having one poem, “The World Is Coming Apart at the Seams,” included in one poetry collection, does not a published author make!

Last summer, I attended a couple of book festivals and saw self-published and co-published authors promoting their work. Very few of the potential customers who walked by my display or others actually made a purchase. I came away feeling uncomfortable contributing to the increasing cascade of words, pages, and books flooding the world, or, more accurately, sitting in boxes on storage room shelves, or in garages and attics.

Yet, I can’t stop writing, and though I have no illusions about my talent, I still want to share my words and thoughts—share, not try to force them upon readers.  So, I’ve hit upon a new, or rather, quite old idea. I will publish my fiction along with my essays and poetry on my blog in installments. This way, they are free, both for me to publish and for readers to read. If they are found and found meaningful, how delightful!  If they are not, I’ve still enjoyed the writing and the sharing.  I will put them out there and let go of the outcome.

Perspective is my first experiment in this new venture. It’s a short story about how the various people involved in one incident each see it through their own unique lenses. Let me know what you think.

Moriah