i_wrote_a_novel DannyH Which is something I suppose. 030711 ... DannyH Some friends told me they loved it. 030711 ... DannyH Someone even told me it was one of the best books they'd ever read. 030711 ... DannyH But I didn't believe them. 030711 ... DannyH Some were more circumspect. They had valid criticisms. More than one expressed the opinion that the female characters were little more than ciphers. Almost everyone said it could have been longer. One friend, whose opinion I value the most began his comments with "I'm sorry" and it didn't get much better from there. 030711 ... DannyH Some people liked bits that other people hated. 030711 ... DannyH It's the most important thing I've ever done in my life. Finally something I committed myself too and tried my best at. Three years of anguish and frustration punctuated with occasional elation. Some moments of abject and inexplicable terror. 030711 ... DannyH And it's still not good enough. 030711 ... DannyH I feel exposed, ashamed. Maybe a little proud. I've been climbing for a lifetime and now here I am, at the foot of bigger, colder, more vertiginous montain. Looking up and shivering. 030711 ... DannyH Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't have it any other way. Just be careful what you wish for is all. 030711 ... marked . 041124 ... oldephebe Would you consider excerpting portions of it here on bl a th er? 041124 ... them we need an update. 041124 ... DannyH I'll think about it. Likely to be the only form in which it will get published. I can hardly bear to look at it now. 041125 ... them are you sure you should give up? 041125 ... DannyH No. I'm not sure at all. 041126 what's it to you? who go blather from