Two Years On

Today (June 6) officially marks two years since I became a published author, the day that my novel Transformation Summer was formally launched.

It wasn't exactly the fulfillment of a life-long dream, per se, because although -- like most anyone who writes -- I wondered what it might be like to put out a book, I couldn't really envision being in a position to do it.

Until I was.

A number of you know the backstory to Transformation Summer: that I got the inspiration for the story while driving across the Berkshires some eight years ago, and worked at it for about 18 months until I finished a first draft -- right around the time my wife was diagnosed with cancer; that I spent a year or so revising the draft, then finally started sending it out to publishers; and that almost a year after my wife's death -- four years after that first draft -- I got a message from Atmosphere Press saying they wanted to publish Transformation Summer.

The process by which the manuscript became an actual physical book -- working with the editor to fine-tune the draft (and making it a much stronger story, I felt) and the graphic designer on the cover, and with my friend and neighbor on this website -- was one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling experiences I've had as a writer. Hell, as a human being.

I have to be honest and say the post-publication period hasn't been all I hoped it would be. No, Transformation Summer most certainly did not become a New York Times best-seller, nor did I get invited to make the round of talk shows, and I never did hear from Oprah Winfrey's Book Club. OK, I didn't really expect any of those things to happen. I would've certainly hoped for, well, more robust sales, and maybe a bit of attention from some local media outlets I contacted.

But the response Transformation Summer received, from reviewers and -- more importantly -- friends and acquaintances, was highly complimentary and positive: Something about the story resonated with them, and for that I'm grateful. What's more, the book events in which I have participated during these past two years gave me the opportunity to meet other authors and share insights into the value that the act of writing holds for us.

Fact is, luck is as much a factor anything else in whether what you produce, in art or commerce, achieves critical and/or financial success. Maybe the press release you send reaches the right person at the right time, or maybe it doesn't. I personally know this, as somebody who's been on the receiving end of such outreach: Wow, this thing sounds great, I think to myself, but I wish they'd have contacted me a month ago.

Statistics can be annoying, pitiless, even ruthless, but also offer comfort. I looked it up, as they say, and learned that of all the thousands of book manuscripts that are submitted to publishing houses ever year, only 1 to 2 percent ever actually wind up in print. So it's fair to say that Transformation Summer beat the odds.

I reiterate: I never became a published author to attain fame and/or fortune. I did it because some creative impulse took hold inside and got me far enough that the possibility became stronger and stronger, until -- what was that about luck? -- the thing I produced got to the right person at the right time.

Might it happen again? In other words, as people have asked, When's the next book? Well, I do have three (count 'em) unfinished works-in-progress, so it's possible I'll get into another groove and actually complete one. And it's possible that someone will be suitably impressed enough to publish it. Not ruling anything out.

I sincerely appreciate the interest and support people have shown in Transformation Summer during these past two years. One way you can do so, of course, is to buy the damn book: You can order it by Amazon or Barnes & Noble by going here. If you would rather buy it in person, there are copies available in Greater Boston at Molly's Bookstore in Melrose and The Book Rack in Arlington. If you have read it and (genuinely) enjoyed it, please consider posting a review, whether on Amazon, B&N, some other website, or social media. Or just tell people (maybe buy them a copy).

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