Today’s post is written by Phil Yeats. Last December, Phil (using his Alan Kemister pen name) published his most recent novel. Tilting at Windmills, the second in the Barrettsport Mysteries series of soft-boiled police detective stories set in an imaginary Nova Scotia coastal community is available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Tilting-Windmills-Barrettsport-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B07L5WR948/
New Year’s Resolution
by Phil Yeats
In our staff break room on January second, four years
ago, I announced that I would finish my novel by year’s end. On the following
January second when I entered the break room for my morning coffee, I received
a lot of flack with several people commenting about unfinished business. Their
voices dripped with false sincerity as they asked when I’d have my earth-shattering
novel finished.
It was my fault.
I was far too vociferous when I announced my resolution the previous January. I
waxed poetic about the book and insisted timely completion was critical.
The comments
were even more pointed during the next two years, but today, as I approached
the break room on the morning of January second, I had everything under
control. I came in early, took my coffee to a prominent table, and tucked my
carrier bag underneath.
My colleagues
filed in, collected their coffee or tea, and the first group approached my
table.
“How goes it
with the never-ending battle with your literary muse?” my chief tormentor
asked. He swept his arm around the room. “You really must get it finished. We’d
all buy copies.”
I smiled
sweetly, reached into my bag and pulled out a copy. “Hot off the press, and for
you, a special price, twelve dollars.”
They all came
forward and meekly purchased their copies. I didn’t leave the break room until
I’d sold all the copies I brought with me.
Back in my
office, I counted my ill-gotten earnings, two hundred and sixteen dollars., The
libations after my seven-thirty draw at the curling club that evening would be
next. And after choir practice on Thursday evenings, we always went to the pub.
My friends in both places had been just as dismissive of my chances of
finishing the book as my work colleagues. After they’d succumbed to their guilt
and bought a book, I’d have sold the fifty copies I ordered.
Who suggested
selling books was difficult?
The Spot
Writers—Our Members:
Val
Muller: http://www.valmuller.com/blog/
Catherine
A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/
Phil
Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com
Chiara De
Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.com/
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