As summer begins, many people include more time for reading. Over the next 6 weeks, I’ll post an excerpt from each of my published books.
I’ll have two more books launch in 2023-2024, including Hip Waders: A Naked View of a Soul. Hip Waders follows a journal format like Knee Deep: Handwritten Letters to My Creator (published in 2021, available at online bookstores).
This week, I share the opening from my debut, Life’s Too Short for Dull Razors, Cheap Pens, and Worn-Out Underwear. You can listen to my 20-minute conversation with Jason Meuschke from his podcast, “A Sample Chapter” here: The Sample Chapter Podcast
Readers! Your feedback helps me develop. Kindly include your input in the comment section or send me a message via www.gueststarcoaching.com.
Trusting you’ll find adventure in your literary travels,
Christina
“Life’s Too Short for Dull Razors, Cheap Pens, and Worn-Out Underwear”
Behind the scenes.
An intriguing insight. A historical hindsight.
A conversation generated between a lifetime friend and me in 2012.
Q: Christina, you’re funny. You’re random. Why don’t you write a book?
A: Yeah, along with millions of others who say they’ll write a book.
Q: I understand that, but still. You should write down all your one-liners and witty comments. People would love to find out how you come up with all of ‘em.
A: I guess most of them come while I run, and I just repeat them when they fit.
Friend: I still think you should write a book (repeated, in case I didn’t hear her say “write a book” the first time).
Me: Everyone thinks their story is unique or the next best seller.
Friend: Yeah, but you really are funny and insightful. Besides, most people don’t have the guts to say the stuff you think anymore.
Me: Maybe those quiet folk are the smart ones. I’d do well to keep my mouth shut more often.
Friend: That’d be boring and face it, there’s nothing dull about you.
Me: Boring is safe, clean, more sanitary.
Friend: Since when do you settle for predictability? Put yourself out there. I dare you. No! I double dog dare you to write a collection of your quirks and wisdom!
Fast forward…If you’re reading this in published format, you know which one of us won that double-dog challenge.
Enter…A tedious progression from drafts-to-publishing. Doubts. Misgivings. A literary marathon and test of endurance.
So it begins. This is officially the first sentence of a book that people have encouraged and prodded me to write. Writing and I have been best friends since third grade when I got my first diary. It was a faux leather burgundy one, scripted with My Diary on the cover. It came with a miniscule lock and key to protect my thoughts from “diary snoopers.” (A special shout out to my siblings).
I have no clue where this will go. It’s one thing to have multiple newspaper columns and magazine articles published, but to scribe an entire book? That’s another story!
Like golf or knitting, authoring a book seems to be a modern hobby or trendy outlet. How do my musings stand out among billions of books and Facebook postings? Do I have enough material or tenacity to complete this double-dog dare?
I write this for Allisa, who reminded me to follow the advice I offer my life coaching clients. It’s my “Stuck to Unstuck” mantra. “Move something! Put your spleen out there on the chopping block. If nobody’s hurt or killed, go forward!”
So…here’s a piece of my spleen.
I rise to this literary challenge, and recognize it won’t be perfect. I offer my best shot of honest excellence. Some of what I’m about to share comes from simply wondering what other people wonder. Some parts are animated memories that I gotta tell you. I’ll be vulnerable when I disclose some misguided choices that left me with face plants and valuable lessons (after my black eyes healed).
Through thick and thin; sweet and sour; peaks and valleys; crunchy and creamy; plastic or paper, I offer one conclusion: Life’s Too Short for Dull Razors, Cheap Pens, and Worn-out Underwear.
To order audio or printed copies, Life’s Too Short for Dull Razors, Cheap Pens, and Worn Out Underwear by Christina Eder, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)