Giving Back…
8/26/2022
When I first started typing up ideas that would become Taking the Long Way Home, I was very conscious of the creative flow-type experience. I’d tried very intentionally writing fiction before. It didn’t go well. I would envision an idea and write a paragraph or two and then…nothing. I couldn’t think of an action arc. I couldn’t imagine a fully formed character. Nothing. Just little whisps of ideas that seemed to wither and die when I tried to lock them down on paper.
Then Lissa came along and things just started humming. I can’t really explain. I just sit at the computer with a general idea and words sort of come out. Or I’ll be lying in bed trying to go to sleep and entire scene including very specific dialogue will start screaming on repeat through my brain until I handwrite it out. I don’t know if this is normal or if maybe I’m a little crazy. But I’ve decided to attribute this weird creative force to God because that’s what I believe in and the experience feels a lot like stories of the Holy Spirit.
And because I believe God (the Great Spirit, Mother Earth Force…what have you) inspired my writing and because my writing is now SELLING (!!!) I feel like I need to pay back some of that amazing blessing. So, I’m pleased to announce Huckleberry Scout’s first philanthropic gift (10% of earnings to date)!
Huckleberry Scout made a $110 donation to the Colon Cancer Coalition in the memory of one of my favorite Duke and NYC drinking buddies, Joe Miller. I was already well into the first draft of Taking the Long Way Home and researching Robert’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis when I got news that Joe had been diagnosed with aggressive colon cancer. The news literally took my breath away. He handled his diagnosis very differently from my novel’s character - fighting with all he had to beat the odds. And he had good reason to do so: three young children and a loving and devoted wife. I would have expected nothing less from him. I’m just sorry we didn’t get to share one last round of Scotch or introduce our UVa spouses before he left.
So thank you to all those who purchased memberships. Tell your friends to buy one as well so I can donate more. Joe definitely deserves it.