The Strawberry
One day, while walking through the wilderness, a man stumbled upon a vicious tiger. He ran, but soon reached the edge of a high cliff. Desperate to save himself, he climbed down a vine and dangled over the fatal precipice.
As he hung there, two mice appeared from a hole in the cliff and began gnawing on the vine.
Suddenly, he noticed a plump wild strawberry on the vine. He plucked it and popped it in his mouth. It was incredibly delicious!
My Dream
I set two goals for myself as an author. One goal is achievable: make at least 1 cent. It's one penny more than I had when I started. Profit is the end goal for anyone who wants to make a living doing anything. The second goal is nearly unattainable because it lies outside my reach. I would like to see my book in an airport bookstore. Why? Only bestsellers can be found here. Airport bookstores sell only books that make the NY Times bestseller list, win prestigious awards, and the like. They focus on moving books quickly, not letting them collect dust. Their customers are travelers who want quick, enjoyable reads.
My Strawberry
In the anecdote above, a man finds himself in a most precarious position. No matter how tenuous the situation, he changes course and finds solace in a delicious strawberry. We have no idea how it turns out for him, but we do know that he found a doorway to something better along the way.
I peddled the first novel of the 11:34 series to 3 literary agencies and waited for a month. Then I saw a strawberry dangling before me. Wasting no time, I plucked and savored it. What did I see?
A writing contest involving James Patterson. Yes, that James Patterson, the authoring guru. This is only the second time he has offered a writing contest. He co-authors a novel with the winner. I followed the strict criteria and submitted my entry.
James Patterson has a name that transforms novels into gold. Look in airport bookstores, and you will find his books lining their shelves. Co-authoring with someone with his qualifications is a rare opportunity indeed. Think of what you could learn sitting, listening at the same table.
Regardless of how this turns out, it will be looked upon as an enjoyable moment along the way, and I would have given my second goal a realistic chance of seeing an airport bookstore.
In any case, I will learn the fate of my entry sometime between April 6 and May 31.
