December 12th, 2023
On Saturday, I celebrated a sobriety milestone, but it was also another anniversary: I released A Dream of Tin & Eternity exactly a year ago, on December 9th, 2022.
I joked (kind of) that I wanted December 9th to be more than just a reminder of what a piece of shit I was; putting that book out on that day did have a much deeper significance, though.
I reread the story last week, and while there was an undeniable joy for me to see all these characters I made up over the years interact and play, I wouldn’t have written it if that was all there was.
No, this book is about someone preparing to make a massive change in their life; perhaps, even, the biggest one.
That was the hook. When I came up with the concept of this book, I washed between wanting to take the time to write it or not. Once I realized there was a very real theme with very real stakes, there wasn’t any going back. I had to carry it all the way.
And once the last few pages were written, I knew that the only day I could release this book was the same day I had decided to release myself.
Art imitating and then inspiring life in a way that only the characters in my head could possibly do.
Both stories definitely worth celebrating.
The Den 