KEEPING THE MEMORY ALIVE

Recently, our really good friend died. After the initial shock, we are thinking of what we might do to keep his memory alive. 

Here's an idea:  maybe we could do an e-book of experiences and dedicate to our friend. In the old days,  publishing was tough. Most who wanted to do it, like us, had to publish themselves.  Getting an agent was a dream, sending a manuscript "over the transom" as it was known back in the day, was like a drop of water in the Pacific Ocean. Without contacts or celebrity, forget it. It was money. Some celebrity could be a dope head with the people skills of a tree and he could tell someone about his sordid life and it would sell millions or so we thought. 

Most of us write because we have too. We are positively addicted to it. My walls were plastered with rejection. I have tried it all. I actually had an agent, Shirley Burke. She was wonderful, loved all her authors and constantly told us how great we were and were a mere step away from the big time. Then I sold a book on my own. Travelled to NY to talk to my new editor. Great man and woman team. "We want more books like yours. Great war story with a purpose." I left the wonderful team at Manor Books sky high. My feet would not touch the ground. I was on my way. I never heard from them again. 

Now, with e-books, available on line, pretty simple, relatively speaking. We all have amazing stories or stories that jangle our chimes. We can honor our friend by publishing our stories and dedicating to his memory. Smash words and Amazon have levelled the playing field and publishing is limited only by our imagination.