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ahunter3This spring, my second book, That Guy in Our Women's Studies Class, went to press.
I had the distant vague hope that, unlikely as it seemed, maybe this book would catch fire and then draw attention to my first book. But that was not to be. As I'd more realistically expected, the tale of a male student majoring in women's studies was less topical and less engaging than the tale of a genderqueer person's coming-out.
I won't deny that it's been frustrating and disappointing. I made effort and I stuck money into the effort. I could probably have obtained more readers if I'd stood in Central Park with a pile of my books and offered folks $20 if they'd be willing to read and review my book. Every now and then, someone does something and it attracts attention and goes viral and at a certain point people want to know all about not not for its own sake but in order to not be left out of what everyone else is paying attention to. But either it is utterly random or I don't have the skillset and intuition to make that happen. Even the more trendy and topical book, GenderQueer: A Story From a Different Closet, never made the social ripples I wanted to make.
But you know what? I have a good life. I get to have a wonderful partner, and to be a participant in a continually fulfilling relationship, which is, when you stop and think about it, what the first book was all aimed at: that people like me are generally deprived of that opportunity. I figured enough stuff out to understand how to seek it and recognize it when I found it; I did have a learning curve (same as everyone else does, really: how to be a good partner, how to balance my own individual needs with what a relationship needs) but my understandings and realizations let me step up and participate on the same general basis as anyone else despite being rather differently configured.
I'm sorry I wasn't better able to share it and make a social presence of this sense of identity, but it works, it's real, and I personally do get to reap the benefits.
I just sent out a little batch of "well, well?" follow-up notices to various people who had indicated they'd review my (second) book if I sent them a copy, but who didn't follow through. I would like to harvest at least a few more reviews for my web page.
I am definitely glad I wrote the books, not just for whatever good they do other people, but also to stave off any sense of regret I might have otherwise felt that I didn't try hard enough, didn't really do anything with my life. I set out to make sending this message to society my mission in life and I've made a credible effort, and I don't owe the world any ongoing self-sacrificial obsessive attempts. Doesn't mean I won't make further attempts, mind you, I can if I feel so inclined, but overall I feel pretty good about having stood up and defined myself and lived the life I've lived.
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My first book, GenderQueer: A Story From a Different Closet, is published by Sunstone Press. It is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardback, and ebook, and as ebook only from Apple, Kobo, and directly from Sunstone Press themselves.
My second book, That Guy in Our Women's Studies Class, has also now been published by Sunstone Press. It's a sequel to GenderQueer. It is available on Amazon and on Barnes & Noble in paperback and ebook, and as ebook only from Apple, Kobo, and directly from Sunstone Press themselves. Hardback versions to follow, stay tuned for details.
My third book is in post-first-draft corrections and is being circulated to beta readers for feedback. Provisionally title Within the Box. Contact me if you're interested.
Links to published reviews and comments are listed on my Home Page, for both published books.
———————
This DreamWidth blog is echoed on LiveJournal and WordPress. Please friend/link me from any of those environments on which you have an account.
————————
Index of all Blog Posts
I had the distant vague hope that, unlikely as it seemed, maybe this book would catch fire and then draw attention to my first book. But that was not to be. As I'd more realistically expected, the tale of a male student majoring in women's studies was less topical and less engaging than the tale of a genderqueer person's coming-out.
I won't deny that it's been frustrating and disappointing. I made effort and I stuck money into the effort. I could probably have obtained more readers if I'd stood in Central Park with a pile of my books and offered folks $20 if they'd be willing to read and review my book. Every now and then, someone does something and it attracts attention and goes viral and at a certain point people want to know all about not not for its own sake but in order to not be left out of what everyone else is paying attention to. But either it is utterly random or I don't have the skillset and intuition to make that happen. Even the more trendy and topical book, GenderQueer: A Story From a Different Closet, never made the social ripples I wanted to make.
But you know what? I have a good life. I get to have a wonderful partner, and to be a participant in a continually fulfilling relationship, which is, when you stop and think about it, what the first book was all aimed at: that people like me are generally deprived of that opportunity. I figured enough stuff out to understand how to seek it and recognize it when I found it; I did have a learning curve (same as everyone else does, really: how to be a good partner, how to balance my own individual needs with what a relationship needs) but my understandings and realizations let me step up and participate on the same general basis as anyone else despite being rather differently configured.
I'm sorry I wasn't better able to share it and make a social presence of this sense of identity, but it works, it's real, and I personally do get to reap the benefits.
I just sent out a little batch of "well, well?" follow-up notices to various people who had indicated they'd review my (second) book if I sent them a copy, but who didn't follow through. I would like to harvest at least a few more reviews for my web page.
I am definitely glad I wrote the books, not just for whatever good they do other people, but also to stave off any sense of regret I might have otherwise felt that I didn't try hard enough, didn't really do anything with my life. I set out to make sending this message to society my mission in life and I've made a credible effort, and I don't owe the world any ongoing self-sacrificial obsessive attempts. Doesn't mean I won't make further attempts, mind you, I can if I feel so inclined, but overall I feel pretty good about having stood up and defined myself and lived the life I've lived.
—————
My first book, GenderQueer: A Story From a Different Closet, is published by Sunstone Press. It is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in paperback, hardback, and ebook, and as ebook only from Apple, Kobo, and directly from Sunstone Press themselves.
My second book, That Guy in Our Women's Studies Class, has also now been published by Sunstone Press. It's a sequel to GenderQueer. It is available on Amazon and on Barnes & Noble in paperback and ebook, and as ebook only from Apple, Kobo, and directly from Sunstone Press themselves. Hardback versions to follow, stay tuned for details.
My third book is in post-first-draft corrections and is being circulated to beta readers for feedback. Provisionally title Within the Box. Contact me if you're interested.
Links to published reviews and comments are listed on my Home Page, for both published books.
———————
This DreamWidth blog is echoed on LiveJournal and WordPress. Please friend/link me from any of those environments on which you have an account.
————————
Index of all Blog Posts
