Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Thanksgiving: A Day for a Different Kind of Stuffing


Spiegel Im Spiegel – Arvo Pärt
Benjamin Hudson, viola
Jürgen Kruse, piano

Absolutely beautiful piece of music.  Pärt composes some of the most chillingly beautiful music in my humble opinion.  (Some may recognize this as the trailer music for the 2013 film Gravity.)

I am so sorry for the title of this blog post... blame placed later.

Moving on.... There are too many people in my life to thank every single one in a single blog post.   So I thought I’d just tell a story.

On a regular trip to the mall with friends, I found myself at the Gay and Lesbian section of the Barnes and Nobles.  To clarify, when I say section I mean the single shelf holding about twenty different titles, ten of which were Gerri Hill novels.

I found a couple m/m titles and I was intrigued, but far too afraid to actually buy one.  Of course mall trips were frequent and so unsurprisingly I found myself in the section again.  After probably the fifth or sixth time visiting the section I finally got the nerve to grab the book.  It was Riddle of the Sands by Geoffrey Knight (so you can see why I was nervous with a cover like that!!).



However my nerves didn’t hold and I told my friend I wasn’t going buy it.  That was when she took the book (and my cash) with an exasperated smile and purchased the book for me.  Christina did more for me that day then I think I’ve realized until recently.  I went from reading those books hidden with larger textbooks – to proudly telling friends and family that not only do I read the genre, I write in it.  I am so utterly thankful to Christina for being there for me.

Now I have the opportunity to take this further.  With a short story coming out soon (appearing in the Christmas Delights Anthology,available for download on December 1st) and a full-length manuscript being put together choppy sentence by choppy sentence, I’ve really spread my fabulous wings.  So I’m also so very thankful for RJ Scott who’s given me this opportunity, helping to open these doors and give me a chance to really pursue this avenue.

Then of course there’s Tony (the person you can blame for approving the title of this post).  Tony (like Christina and others) will likely be mentioned on this blog regularly, so get used to them.  We talk nearly every day despite the 2,264 miles between us.  Sometimes we just trade stupid stories and laugh or we’ll recount entire episodes of shows that the other doesn’t watch (most recently him recounting American Horror Story and me various hockey games).  It doesn’t really matter.  His voice is something that’s gotten me through some of the hardest times of my life (including just a few months ago).  I can usually trace a turn from darkness to light to a phone call with him.  He puts up with me chattering about the novels I read and write, and he only sometimes teases me when I get a little too cheesy.

Finally I am eternally grateful for my wonderful family.  Though it’s not the first time, I am saddened that I can’t be with them this holiday, but I will be soon!  J  My ever-supportive parents have pushed me further than I ever thought I could go.  I can’t even imagine where I’d be without them.  My brothers are my lifelines, the two guys that have been with me through every move, four continents and twenty-four years.  And now with their lovely wives (my new sisters) and their children I am so blessed to be in the company of wonderful people who help my dreams come true just by being there and supporting me.

Love,

Chris

1 comment: