P'nK Books

I finished writing a new novel. I wrote the book in three weeks. I had the idea for this novel percolating in my brain for a couple of years. I rewrote the first page several times over those same years. I wasn’t happy with what I was writing. I knew how the story began and where it was going and how it would end. But I had trouble writing the first page. I had drafts handwritten and other drafts saved to a thumb-drive. I would read everything I wrote and for some reason I just wasn’t convinced that what I had was worthy. It was very annoying and I thought I should give up. I did and turned my attention onto other works like Lick Me and White Belts. Then came the night the Strikeforce event was about to air on CBS.

The main card included Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers. My wife and I were seated on the couch waiting for the show to begin. As I scrolled through my iPhone the opening sentence came to me. I thought it was perfect. I sat down at my desk and wrote it down. I read it to myself. I loved it. I kept writing. My wife told me the event was starting. My cat jumped up on the desk and was interested in what I was doing. I had to cover my arms around the notebook and write at a weird angle because my cat wanted to sniff the pages and step on the pages and rub her face against my stubble. I couldn’t stop. I wrote and wrote more until I had a couple of pages of chicken scratch. I was in a hurry and needed to get all my thoughts down before the fights began. When I came to a stopping point, I didn’t read what I wrote. I closed my notebook and returned to the couch and watched the fights.

 Fedor proved why he is considered the greatest MMA fighter.

 The next morning I read what I wrote and continued writing. Three weeks later I was finished. Here is a brief summary of the book. It’s titled Nothing Special.

He’s just been released from the hospital for things he doesn’t like to talk about. He hasn’t spoken to his parents in over two years. He is alone and scared and has been given a second chance. Before this he was living on the streets.

He makes new friends and gets a job. He begins taking jujitsu classes. Everything is new and fresh and great. He is enjoying his new life. Then he meets Heidi and her infant son Evan. They live right below him. He and Heidi begin a relationship. This is the first time he has ever been in love. As they begin to settle down in their new life he learns a dark secret – Heidi is sixteen years old. He is much older. He knows the right thing to do is to end the relationship. What they are doing is illegal. But it’s not that simple. Things never are. After finding out about her age does he perceive her as a child or does he still consider her an adult based on her responsibilities and what they have been through together?

When his life is turned upside down he finally figures out what to do. But in the end he realizes he may be nothing special.

 

Thanksgiving has come and gone and I will say it is my favorite holiday and my favorite meal to eat. This year my wife cooked turkey rubbed in butter and bay leaves, green bean casserole with shallots, sweet mashed potatoes with an apple glaze, stuffing, and dressing. It took her six hours. I was on dishwashing duty. This is how we spend every Thanksgiving. Everyone has a chore. Usually I prep the food, but this year my wife wanted to work alone because she was making new dishes.

During Thanksgiving in Chicago I thought it would be funny to take a photo of me wearing a lucha libre mask while we cooked. A friend purchased it for me in LA. The photo has me standing in the kitchen while wearing the mask and holding onto a big knife. When I sent the photo to friends everyone found it funny. I found it funny. When I look at the photo now, I look like a serial killer. That photo inspired the character Mr. Amazing and the story The Curse of Jezebel. The mask was used for the cover of the book.

This year on Thanksgiving we had friends over and it was wonderful. We talked and ate and played Wii. I have become a good bowler and tennis player. We also played the old NES Super Mario Brothers. I remembered where the warps were located and when to jump to get a 1up mushroom.

This holiday season we decided to purchase a tree. Last year we didn’t. It was our first Christmas in California and when we woke up it didn’t feel like Christmas. It felt like a regular day, nothing special. We are used to snow and the freezing temperatures. I am used to waking up and digging my car out and scrapping off the ice from the windshield. I swear and cuss at how cold it is and when I step back inside there is hot chocolate waiting for me and I am no longer angry.

Our typical Christmas in Detroit was always filled with too many activities. Both of our families are divorced and we would have to create a travel plan for the numerous family events we were expected to attend. It was fun the first year, but after that it became too much. We would spend an hour at a family member’s house and then leave and go some place else. We would eat several times. When it came to a point I couldn’t eat anymore and passed on a plate of food, my aunt refused to listen. I would have a plate set in front of me. She would ask if I wanted more and I would burp and say no thank you. When we departed I would be tired and full and it made it hard to concentrate while driving in the snow. I thought drunk driving was bad, but now I believe driving while on a full stomach is just as dangerous. I just wanted to go home and rest. But we couldn’t. We had to stop at each parent’s house. Four more stops. We would open presents, eat food, and say goodbye. By the time we got home it was late and I wanted nothing to do with Christmas. Every year after that we would argue over whose house we had to visit and whose party we would miss. We would make phone calls and hear family guilt trips and it ruined the holiday season. I eventually thought Christmas was a hassle. When we moved to California I got my wish and now spend Christmas with my wife and two cats and we sit around and watch holiday movies. I bought a webcam for my dad for Christmas last year and I had to walk him through the setup. He doesn’t know much about computers and when my picture popped up on the monitor I could hear him say, “Oh my god, oh my god, I can see them. Holy crap!” He wasn’t expecting to see us in real time. It was fun and exciting. My mom had the same response

This year my wife and I will cook and watch movies. Friends will come over and I will not operate a car or travel. I will not change out of my robe and pajamas. I will relax and be happy and think about what I used to go through and know family is just a click away thanks to webcams.

Happy Holidays.