2026 makes the 20th anniversary of my career as a professional writer. In those two decades, one can get jaded about plans foiled, marketing campaigns that sputtered out, expectations dimmed. I mean, my original goal was to become so outrageously wealthy in this writing game that I could hire Stephen King to clean my house. I even published an essay about it. Those riches never came to pass. But I have learned to count my blessings and embrace my successes however humble they may be to others.
Last Saturday I was a panelist at In Conversation With Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times Best-selling author. I'd been invited by Sean Eads, a librarian (and author) with the JeffCo Public Library, which hosted the event in the Teel Sanctuary at the Mile Hi Church in Lakewood, CO. For the panel, I was one of six local authors, four were well-established writers: Jon Bassoff, Kristin Koval, Mark Stevens, and Cynthia Swanson, and the fifth, the emcee Carter Wilson, himself highly acclaimed in the thriller genre.
When sitting behind the panel table and looking onto the audience, I made it a point to thank those who had taken time from their Saturday afternoon to attend and thank those from the library and the church staff responsible for the marketing and logistics that made the event possible. In the course of an hour presentation, we couldn't speak in depth about writing and publishing, but Carter Wilson is a skilled moderator and did a great job asking questions that ranged beyond the usual topics. Afterwards, Carter interviewed Lisa and the zoom audience who had tuned-in numbered over 500!
Being a panel of local authors, over the years I've met them all before except for Kristin Koval, and so it was a pleasure getting acquainted with another writer. It was also a pleasure to meet the headliner, Lisa Gardner, who was eminently gracious and sociable.
Group selfie from the Green Room. From left, back row: Mark Steven, Sean Eads, me, Carter Wilson, Jon Bassoff. Front row: Kristin Koval, Cynthia Swanson, Lisa Gardner.
As we writers toil for years in solitude, it's encouraging to get out in public and have people show up to give us a listen. I count that as a success.
