I'm Back!

Hi. I'm back.

I know (even if you don't) that I've been gone for a while. I've been doing things—writerly things—but it's all been the kind of behind-the-scenes stuff that no one much cares to read about. I took a course in editing, and then gave that a shot for a while. I edited a book

titled Demonic Visions: 50 Horror Tales, Book 5, and, let me tell you, choosing for your very first editing job to edit for fifty people . . . yeah, it's as idiotic as it sounds. If I'd had hair, I'd have been pulling it out by the roots. But I met a lot of people, and I learned from all of them. Hopefully, I helped them all put out a good book—but this is all beside the point.

Since I stopped writing While You’re Making Other Plans, a whole lot has happened. The book I wrote was pulled off the shelves and is no longer for sale—by my own request. My son, Handsome, has grown so large we can wear each other’s clothes, and he’s only twelve. I’ve joined a writing collaborative, and we plan to put out some great books together. I started writing monster movie reviews for Cinema Knife Fight. I’ve recently signed a contract for a short story collection, due to come out early next year. My day job is changing so fast I can barely keep up. There’s been exciting stuff happening—well, exciting for me, your mileage may vary—and I’ve thought along the way about sharing it with all of you, but could never figure out just how to come back.

I wrote a few special pieces, kind of trumpeting my way back into the blogging world, but none of them seemed right. I’m not very good at promoting myself, though my friends take a softer view: they tell me I suck at it. I wasn’t comfortable with any of those “special” pieces, because I don’t feel very special. I’m just me. So I set them aside and decided to try again. And again. But it never seemed to come out right.

So screw it.

I’m back, plain and simple.

I’ll be trying to post stuff here once a week—and if I fall behind, please feel free to call me on it. A quick comment of “Dude, where are you?” left either here or on my writer page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Robert.T.Smales — look, a handy link!) should get me off my ass. I’ve noticed a lot of bloggers out there post their weekly stuff on Friday, sort of to kick off the weekend, but I’m going to do things a little differently: I’m going to post on Monday. Way too much of the fun stuff in my life happens on the weekend—I don’t want to wait a week to write some of it down. I was forgetful at twenty-six. At forty-six, I’m lucky I remember to take my ass with me when I get up in the morning, and I don’t want to miss the good stuff. Just this weekend, for instance, I:

• Did battle with a terrible Bittersweet plant. I was victorious, but what a cost!
• Watched a movie that I can’t review, but was so much fun I’d love to tell you about it when I have the time.
• Bought the boy a surprise gift: his first trimmer/edger! (It didn’t go over well)
• Had a Tool singing contest.
• Witnessed my son talking to his great grandfather—always a treat!
• And dyed my son’s hair purple. I shit you not: purple. And damn me if he doesn’t still look good.

So, starting next week I’ll be spicing up Mondays with something here at WYMOP. Sorry, Monday, but you need the spicing up. You suck, and I think you know it. So next week I’ll be here, trying to be funny for y’all. Sorry about this week, but this was just to get me started. I needed a little boost to tell you I’m back.

I’m back.

Deal with it.

Talk to you later!