Though I’m only talking to a few souls, whose readership I do appreciate, do know that my lack of blogging doesn’t reflect a lack of writing. Far from it.

The truth is that I’ve never been more focused, in all my life, on literary efforts. There is urgency to write like never before. This is because there is fear that I will, once again, not finish what I have started. However, this time, I will.

What I am finishing is a book I think I’ll call Once Upon a Time in Europe. It’s, essentially, chronicles of my first trip to Europe in the spring of 2000. Now, why the hell strive to finish something so archaic? Who would care about a trip over 20 years ago? Why… blah, blah, blah.

Yes. There are many questions to destroy my resolve. Those questions causing doubt have stopped me many times since I first started writing this book in 2009. However, every time I have dusted off this manuscript, I’ve been impressed by my own writing. I’ve laughed. I’ve found it fascinating. I’ve become reinvigorated to finish, and put more effort into it, only to fail again.

The history of France has largely torpedoed my efforts. See, throughout my chronicling, I’ve interwoven explanations of European history that are neat. They’re basic, yet, weave together grand threads that would have made things clearer to my 23 year-old knucklehead-self during this sojourn, especially in the presence of scathing Parisians. Spain and Portugal histories were easy. But France is complex because, ultimately, France was arguably the core of Europe, and European history is complex.

It’s also fascinating. I love it. In the past week I’ve probably spent 30 hours reading and researching, on the Fall of Rome, the Catholic Church, the Byzantine Church, the Merovingians, the Carolingians, and other topics. I’ve absorbed enough details to move forward with this massive block, though, I’m still stumbling somewhat, especially in reconciling my Christianity with my narratives of drunk and stoned stupidity.

So be it. I will succeed. I aim to finish by November, and put it in a format to sell through Kindle Publishing. A good friend turned me on to Kindle Publishing and suggested I could morph my writings into this format for monetizing. My imagination lit up for thinking all the small and large books I’d like to write. However, Once Upon a Time in Europe jumped into the foreground of my imagination. The words “finish what you start” burned. You finish what you start to see what you’re made of. The fun is as edifying as the frustration. Thus, a zeal to study France like never before.

I’m not finished yet. However, I think I’ll start sharing snippets on my blog.

Steve, thank you for your remembering me.

FEATURED IMAGE FROM:

commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_map_of_Europe.png