Dude. Can I do it? Can I write a book? Regardless of publishing, can I actually write a whole book and make it at least somewhat enjoyable to read?

I wondered. Maybe I could. My whole life I saw myself as an artist and that's what I became professionally, but I took a recent skills assessment test and "writer," came out on top with "artist" following close behind.

When I lost my house and was packing up to move, I rediscovered some old spiral notebooks in a drawer of a desk that had belonged to my first bedroom suit as a child. They were letters to myself. Long forgotten memories brought to the front of my mind and somethings I could not recall in spite of the detail.

But the thing that struck me most was, it was good. I mean really good. Especially for a teenager. I found myself drawn in and sat reading one spiral after another. The odd thing was when I came to the one's I wrote when I was married the first time. I didn't recognize the weak, sorry sap who wrote them. It was good reading, but I was irritated in how defeated I had become at that point in my life. I suspect I may have slipped there again.

Since I was around 19 years old, I've been compared to a certain author, even before I had ever read any of their books. Even after reading them, I honestly could not see the connection that other people saw, other than we are both sort of creepy. Occasionally when I read one of said author's stories I do see or read a very brief similarity and that is our apparent love for aphorisms. 

I thought, if I were to take advice on writing from anyone, it would have to be from said author. So luckily enough, a quick check at the book store proved that said author had indeed written a book about writing a book. I bought it and am nearly finished with it, but in reading this book I finally see a lot of the similarities, in personality only, and maybe a dash of style, that other people have seen. 

One thing said author mentioned in their book was a quote from yet another author whose name I forget, which was, "All stories are really just letters written to someone you know; the ideal reader." Yes. For me, at least, I find this to be very true. I do have an ideal reader, or actually several of them, depending on the topic, and I think most of them know who they are. If they didn't, they probably have a good idea now.

Just as I have reached a new high in the doll business, I have reached a depressive funk with dolls from which I am unsure I can ever recover. And although they say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I am damn well sick of the copycats. Not that I am at all concerned about competition in sales, but they do make it damned hard to find and afford supply. 

I suppose it best to use my time spent in this doll funk writing the book I have thought about for so long. You already know the title, but let's keep it under our hats for now. :-)