Mate... You've Been Hurt

Since starting this whole blog caper several friends have become covetous of honorable mentions and pen names. To that end, I have several mentions.

To my mate Ryan Cohen who listened to me read one of my short stories (a new one about a shark attack) over the phone. Our conversation post-reading went something like this,

(I pause at the end of reading) "So?"

"Mate."

"Matey?"

"Mate!"

"Yes?"

"Mate. . . you’ve been hurt."

Now despite the fact that this particular story is just about a shark attack (and an unsuccessful one at that) and obviously has no real connection to the events of my life (other than a rather brief shark attack) my friend Ryan still managed to feel the palpably sad quality to my literary sinew. I mean, come on! What the hell do I need to do? Write a cheery haiku where a Duck and a Cat become fast friends over strawberry milkshakes!

Thank you for that feedback Ryan, it will haunt me always.

To my dear friend, let’s call her Holland Daisy, who came to see me over the weekend and nurse me back to health while entertaining me with Texas Hold’em lessons (and clothing suggestions - good call on the red dress)... your praise of my novel is appreciated, your patience while I read it aloud is also appreciated. However the description of my writing feeling like being drowned beneath a flood of words is, well. . . okay, pretty apt.

You are one hell of a mermaid!