Gratitude of Bookish Proportions and How One Thing Leads to Another

Things have come wonderfully, miraculously together in full circle. Years ago in a place then referred to as West Germany, a shy, somewhat reclusive child wished upon a star to see one day his name on the cover of a bound book, and recently, the now less shy but still somewhat reclusive (albeit for different reasons now) individual living on the West Coast of Canada has had his first book printed by a German publisher. Not only was his very first writing as well as dreams of becoming a writer in the German language, but so is his publishing house. It is interesting how, at least symbolically, past and future weave a continuous arc.

To add to the wondrous aspect of it is the fact that the same person (by now you may have surely guessed that this post is graphically autobiographical) had spent, over the span of a few years, his wits and energy to get published but received form (rejection) letters from agents and publishing houses. As a result, he decided to let this year (2012) just slide by so that he could take aim again, with renewed confidence and endurance in the following (unlucky-appearing) 2013!

So to keep building on this fairy-tale anecdote, the aforementioned individual (yes, me!) decided to somewhat selfishly post on this adopted brainchild of his (this blog) a letter to the powers that be asking for a job, an ipad for his son and a published piece of work, see link. All three have again (and I hope I am not jinxing my luck!) received a check.

Yes, wishes and prayers, if done with honesty, genuine affection and if they are accompanied with blood and sweat can come true. Yet at the same time, the whole process of writing / posting, sharing and reshaping it all in a book could not have been more pleasurable indeed. All of this has led to a see-saw type of feeling deep inside, where I have become both humbled and elevated as a consequence.

In fact, I am aware that none of this would have happened if not for your generous and sympathetic interest, dear reader, and for one of those fortuitous (divine?) circumstances of (the hand of destiny?) guiding my wondrous, patiently diligent, resourceful and hardworking editor Maxim Gorbulea to the pages of this blog. A hearty thanks to you for putting my world on the map, both in cyber space and in printland!

Although people nowadays complain about a lack of reading, it is interesting to note that our obsession with print publications has not been erased or even diminished all this time. Many of you are fellow bloggers / writers (or writers / bloggers, or writer-bloggers ad infinitum) and / or are interested in reading and writing. 

It is funny, however, that our efforts as a writer won't be generally appreciated by others until we have published something in print, that is. We are still, even in this age of technology, drawn to have our names typed in black ink. Incidentally, the saying of “lying through one's teeth” has its equivalent German expression of luegen wie gedruckt, “lying as if printed” adding even more weight to the printed word.

So there you have it: one thing leads to another. Again, my deepest heart-felt gratitude to each and everyone of you and the constructive desire that all will be well, or at least as good as possible, for all of us involved. In fact, let not the green-eyed bug bite you since according to the everlasting karmic wheel, wishing well will make us all well, and instead feel free to celebrate with me as I will gladly follow suit.