A "Great Writer", by Bratprince

When I left college I was destined for law school and perhaps "political greatness".  I come from a long line of lawyers (both my father and mother's father were lawyers.  My mother's grandfather was also a lawyer and a member of the U.S. Congress.  My father's father was the longest serving politician in Arkansas history as Mayor of Magnolia, AR for almost thirty years).  I was "bred" to be a lawyer.  In that my mother ran our family oil and timber company she had been grooming me for oil/gas law for years.  I dutifully took the LSAT (a required test to entire law school and I shall not be modest on this occasion...I scored second highest in the state).  I applied to the top law schools and was accepted by six. 

I shall not go into it, but I had planned my escape for quite awhile.  To be honest..I never wanted to be a lawyer.  I find the law fascinating to this day, but I could not see myself slaving away at boring documents regarding the family business.  In addition, I just couldn't see myself as a prosecutor..way too much chance for convicting the wrong person.  Defense law was out because I simply did not and do not have the ability to defend people that I know already are guilty of horrible crimes.  So what's a poor 21 year old to do?

Without my parent's knowledge I got an apartment in Little Rock (I went to college about thirty miles away), got a job as a bartender and intended upon becoming a famous or at least working writer (this didn't go over well with my parents thus I don't recommend you try this at home).  Needless to say, like many young dreamers the writing part didn't come true and I ended up in the restaurant business for years.  No complaints...I did well.  I became the general manager of a number of popular restaurants and was the youngest Maitre'd in history of Arkansas' only five star restaurant.

Brewing inside of me were great ideas for novels, teleplays, film scripts and short stories.  I wrote a few of those short stories.  "Slow Dancing With Your Boots On" was published in a now defunct Arkansas magazine, but that was about it.  My mega epic novel "THE URN" was started and still languishes in a drawer.  I was never able to finish it even though I had a publisher interested.  I have been working on a television treatment for some time and should have finished ages ago, but again I hesitate for some reason.  Ridiculous in that the person willing to produce my television idea won the Palm D' Or at Cannes for his film 'CRONUS'.  Yes, you can find him on Google, but I ask that you not disturb him.  He is working on a different (non-theatrical) project right now.

So, here I sit; long involved in the interior design, public relations, sales and ironically even literary agent world.  All of my readers know that I am good at what I do and am not unhappy with my career path.  My success has been more than I could ever have hoped for.

Yet, I am always amazed when I hear from readers/visitors/fans of the BLOG as I did today that mention something to the effect of "you are a great writer".  I always must take a tiny intake of air and read the words a second time.  My friend Terry B. was always a big supporter of my writing style and my husband Gary calls me "a great writer" at times also.  I do not know if I can express how much that means to me and what an inspirational drive it is.

As my loyal readers know I have started to write on a freelance basis for magazines and am being published.  Whenever I get a hard copy I must read it ten times over.  Seeing my name on the Contributors Page always makes my heart skip a beat.  It seems all too amazing at this late date that anybody cares to read anything I write.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the BLOG to me is that the sometimes first, but always the second most popular feature is the essays that I write.  I have been told certain essays have been forwarded to hundreds of people; I have inspired sermons by ministers, and made my audience feel that they know me.  What an honor and a privilege to write well enough that people feel the need to tell me so.

Grammar and editing are by far out of my league.  Although I always did well enough in English, I cheat now and just let my fingers fly across the keyboard and fudge on all sorts of grammatical rules.  It's my BLOG and I'll cheat if I want too (wink).

However, in the most humble fashion I can present allow me to thank you my dear readers, visitors, fans and friends!  That you enjoy my essays and sometimes pass them on is a very important to me. 

When I was ruminating over restarting the BLOG after discontinuing it for a few weeks, perhaps the greatest incentive for me was that I could write again.

That you appreciate it and now publishers and magazines are interested thrills me.

Heck, I just might finish my novel, 'THE URN' now!

Yours, Bratprince