Author In Training No More

            Today, I had planned to post a review of Monsters University. (Yes, I do realize that recently all I have done are movie reviews.) But the MU review will have to wait for later in the week. I’ve decided to discuss the matter of my “Author In Training” status.

            First off, I want everyone to take a look to the right. Well, kind of over and down. Below the lovely blogging awards I received. You may have noticed that there is a new picture of me over there. The very capable Jonathan Stalnaker snapped a series of shots that I could use for my author’s pic in my upcoming novel.

            That’s right, I sold my first novel. Cedar Fort Publishing has picked up The Gathering and will be releasing it in January. They sent me the cover today and I decided that I couldn’t wait any longer to blog about it.

            This year my writing portfolio has really blossomed. In addition to the novel six short stories have been picked up for publication (Not Fragile; You Better Watch Out; Time Enough To Die; Waste Not, Die Not; Bloody Hector; and Matches.) as well as the inclusion of five of my flash fiction pieces in the Flash 500 anthology. (You can now access the Flash 500 for free if you are interested.) In my mind, that makes for a pretty good year.

            I have seven more short stories I’m submitting to the Sci-Fi/Fantasy market. The first novel I wrote, Hellathon, had a nibble this month. And a close friend of mine has talked me into self-publishing a collection of quirky Christmas stores, which I plan to put out next year. Who knows what can happen before the end of the year.

            Is all of this a matter of bragging to you?

Maybe. A little I suppose. But mostly it has to do with something one of my friends brought up during a writing related conversation. She asked: Are you going to change the name of your blog? Once I have a novel published can I still be considered an author in training? Or is it a matter that a good writer is always looking for ways to improve their craft?

I am leaning towards the latter response, but that is more of a matter of being too lazy to go through all the effort of changing the name of my blog and any promotion that goes along with it. Besides, what would I name the new blog? My business cards have: Randy Lindsay, all around creative guy. Is that a good enough replacement for my author in training tag? I suppose if we were going with the ultimate truth in advertising it should probably read – All around nutty guy.

But the Planter’s nut mascot has already warned me about edging in on his turf.