What you are about to read is a true story. Only the names have been changed. Only minor fabrications for dramatic purposes have been made.
I awoke at noon, got out of bed, turned on subwoofer, stereo, kettle for coffee. Made coffee, sipped it while eating a Clif bar, then took coffee to computer with a bowl of dry Cheerios. My computer had been on for ten minutes or so by this point, since that’s how long my Fort Knox of an antivirus takes to finish updating. Anyway, I did the usual crap with social networking sites (you know the ones), scanned the NY Times and Google News for the latest disasters.
Eventually I realized I’d have to drive down to the pool room to collect on a debt. So I showered, shaved, etc, dressed and went down there. They guy paid me, I stayed for a couple hours of pointless nine-ball practice, ate some peanuts, returned a book to a friend, promised the owner a copy of my own book, then went home and fixed a salmon sandwich (no, not fresh salmon, the kind from the envelope).
When I refer to “my own book” I mean THE LEGEND OF JIMMY GOLLIHUE, which will be an e-book ANY DAY NOW! You didn’t see that coming, did you? Do you feel spammed? Do you feel dirty and used?
Reading back over this post, I wonder what was so important about yesterday that it deserved to be written about. For clues, let’s look at what I decided to wear: loose jeans, newish cross trainers, belt, white undershirt, green short-sleeved shirt (open). In other words I looked like just your average goofball. So what? What’s the point? What’s the significance? And what was I doing in a pool hall anyway, other than collecting a debt? Had I been there before? Would I be going back?
I was in the pool hall to collect a debt, but I’d been there when I let the guy borrow the money because I love pool, am addicted to pool, can’t get enough pool. In fact, my novel is about pool. Have you heard about it? The people in the pool room have heard about it, and they’re starting to ask questions about when the e-book is coming out … which is ANY DAY NOW! I can’t wait! Can you wait?
So yes, I will be going back to the pool room, and others like it. And yes, I will be talking about my book, handing out my business cards, and generally being a shameless self-promoter. Money will change hands when I’m in there, too. Peanuts aren’t free, after all.
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