Authorship

A good friend of mine recently wrote a book. A novel. I got to read the first draft--it hasn't been published yet, and in fact hasn't been accepted for publication. And, before it does, it needs a rewrite. Besides general proof-reading missteps that will come up in a 600-page book (it doesn't read that long), there are a few parts that need to be toned down. But he enabled me to get a copy of the first draft, which I read very quickly.

I think the book is very good, and has a chance to get a lot better after those minor changes.

Now, how cool is it to know someone like that? To be able to say "I know an author," or maybe even "I gave him feedback on his book." I feel important or famous by association. As if that mattered...

But even cooler, I think, is to have had a lot of personal, intimate conversations with the author. To know some of his joys, his struggles, and his passions, and then to see it come out in the book. There were portions of the book that made me smile because it just reaked of the author's personality and beliefs. I've never tried to write something that big, or known any who did, but I've found it fascinating. Not just to have the creativity to do so, but the willingness to open yourself up like that is amazing. I'm so proud of him, and excited for what God may do through this book!