Hello everyone!

Readers of this blog know I occasionally write short stories and think pieces. Well, I decided it was time to get one published and it is now available. It’s a science-fiction/fantasy meets detective/crime noir. I have spent the last couple years writing this story. The initial idea I had was much less involved but as I continued writing these characters, the possibilities of where the story can go became more expansive. I saw incredible opportunities to make, not just the story, but, the entire world more vast while still maintaining a connective thread to the plot. The best comparison I can make, and I think this speaks for all creative endeavors (recording/editing music in studio, shooting/editing a film, writing, etc) is the “runners high.”

You begin running at a comfortable pace. Eventually, something clicks in your body and your mind and you find yourself in a rhythm that transcends the feelings you had when you first began. After a while, that feeling begins to falter and you hit “the wall.” This is where you feel like you can’t run another step. You keep pressing on because you know that “runners high” is just around the corner if you can persevere long enough to complete your goal. You finish your run with a feeling of tired, sweaty accomplishment. It’s the exact same thing for creating music, a short film, or in this particular case, a short story. I will admit, here, to all you lovely readers, that I did sweat much less writing this story than when I’ve been in the studio recording music, out under the sun shooting a short film, or running a 5k marathon. So, if you are curious as to which avenue in the arts you might want to create in and you don’t like to sweat, writing in an air-conditioned room is always a viable option.

Back on point.

The feelings you experience creating are comparable to the runner’s high. You will begin a song with a lyric, or a melody or a beat/rhythm. You will create a short film with ideas and a story that inspires you. For writing, you will begin with a thought that makes one eyebrow pop up over the other and maybe a mischievous smile breaks across your lips. These are the initial first steps of your run. From there, you begin the process of creating the thing that you wish to create and this is where you will feel transcendence. Time will fly by. You’ll notice, suddenly, that it’s no longer breakfast but it’s almost time for reverse happy hour (or bed time if you aren’t a social late night drinker). This is clearly the “runners high.” However, over time, you will hit “the wall” and the creation will begin to feel like work. You will have to push yourself to complete your art, just like the runner pushes themselves to complete their marathon. Stay committed, dear readers, because once your artistic expression is finished (assuming art can ever truly be realized), you will feel a level of satisfaction found nowhere else.

And so, I proudly present my first published work for you. I wrote and edited the entire story myself. I also created the cover art for the book using my very unrefined skills as a graphic designer (which I believe is visibly apparent). Feel free to crack as many jokes as you like in the comments about the art work. I’ve been in the arts my entire life and not once has anyone thrown a tomato at me during a performance. It’s possible I haven’t been trying hard enough. Maybe today, digital tomatoes. Maybe not. I leave the hurling of fruit to your discretion.

Thank you for joining me here on this blog. I have enjoyed writing this story and I am proud of the final product that I was able to create. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. It’s free and available online now. You can find it using the link below.

Thank you,

JB.

“Think” Now Available On AppleBooks.