A Lot of Stories Yet to Tell…

“It seems to me that we have a lot of stories yet to tell.”

– Walt Disney

 

We do, indeed!

 

The King’s Book event did something to me. Something wonderful. It reminded me that there are still a lot of people in the world who are hungry for well-told stories and that, when I engage with them, they have a really, really good time! And they end up loving De even more (when the topic is De).

 

So instead of feeling “hat in hand” or needy/somehow lacking, now I’m feeling powerful.

 

I need to remember and treasure what happens to an audience when I put myself out there and engage with them.

 

It turns out that I measure up when I do things in public.

 

Not only do I measure up, I manage to impress (in the right way). People buy my books and want to connect on a deeper level. They start following me on my blog, in social media, and the locals meet up with me on occasion.

 

Why I Became a Writer No Longer Serves Me

 

I became a writer chiefly because I was a shy, repressed kid with a lot to say. From the moment I ran across it, my favorite writer-oriented saying has always been  “Writing is show business for shy people.”

 

But my favorite sweatshirt reads “I Write What Should Not Be Forgotten.”  I do that, for sure!

 

At home, I was never encouraged to take the stage or command a crowd. I was dissuaded from being the “sparkler” I was born to be because I was so over the top early on. When I exceeded expectations (that’s the nice way of saying I hijacked attention as a loud, effervescent small child–think Shirley Temple onstage!) I was hushed and expected to “stand down” — which translated to me as “There is something seriously wrong with you, Kris. You need to disappear.”

 

So I did. (As the middle child, I have always been the peacekeeper in the family. Whatever it takes, I do my best to keep the peace–which was rarely possible in my nuclear–double entondre intended–family!)

 

I disappeared into reading and writing.

 

I was a great student. I could show up, shut up, listen up, and regurgitate lessons with the best of them. (Except math.)

 

In school was where I began to get encouragement and helpful insights into the best ways to shine without hijacking an entire event.

 

All I have to say is Thank God for teachers (and later, actors and business counselors), who let me know it’s okay to stand in a spotlight when I have something to say!!!

 

What I’ve Discovered Since Then

 

People like to spend an evening having a good time. Instead of considering my gigs a means to an end (“to sell more books!”) –I’m looking upon them these days, suddenly, as pure joy.

 

Before, I would prepare for weeks, drive myself up the wall making sure I had all my ducks in a row, feeling obliged to not steal a single moment of my audience’s precious time. But on Thursday at King’s Books I realized for the first time, perhaps, that I made our time together precious; I wasn’t stealing anything! I was giving!!! Whether they bought a book or not, they all had a great time…  

 

What a paradigm shift!

 

Selling books is just cream on the coffee, not its essence.   The essence of what I do is entertain, inform and (as often as possible) delight!

 

There’s nothing scary about that.  I don’t have to measure up. They aren’t sitting in judgment of me; they’re there because they love the topic! I don’t have to possess the oratory skills of a Barack Obama or the hosting skills of a Johnny Carson to succeed at what I do. I just have to make sure everyone has a good time and comes away with a happier, lighter heart. They just have to go home feeling glad they came!

 

I can do that!

 

In Other News… 

 

I need to get back on track writing animal-related blogs so I have a substantial series to roll out in 2017.  I have the topics/anecdotes listed and I have nearly 10K words down, edited, polished and ready to publish.

 

But then the election and its aftermath intruded (painfully), and I’m scheduled for two additional events in the next eight days, and I’m calling a surgeon to schedule a time for what is, these days, quick, instant-recovery gallbladder surgery (hopefully in early December), so I’ve been waylaid seven ways from Sunday. Ideally, I want to have 50K words down and polished by the end of the month. I got 10K down in three days, so it’s certainly do-able: I just have to recommit to doing it!

 

So I herewith recommit!