I’m Honored – blog – The Spooky World of Chris Ringler

I have been writing seriously since I was a teenager. I had my first book published in 1999. In all those years I have had a few articles written about me, I had a few folks notice what I did, and I have carved out my small little space in the world doing what I do. In all these years though of writing I have never really gotten into people’s hearts or minds. I am still, you know, carving out that niche. In all those years I have never really gotten ‘noticed’, you know?

Even with all the articles and mentions it never did anything, and never really saw ‘me’.

Recently that changed.

I was noticed.

I was honored.

And that’s pretty awesome.

I hate, hate, hate taking credit, getting singled out and all that. It just makes me feel disingenous and fake. Let’s face it though, we all need that recognition, that pat on the back that says – hey man, you’re doing OK.

I recently was part of a month long celebration being held in Michigan’s capitol to honor our state’s children’s authors. It’s weird to consider myself a children’s author, but I have written five kid’s books and put out four so I can’t deny it. Over the course of the month there were eighteen of us that were invited to come to the capitol to get recognized, get a framed write up of the tribute, and got to meet the representatives that were honoring me, the woman that set it all up, Representative Stone, and my local rep, Mrs. Neeley.

I talked about all of this, and my experience on a recent podcast I did, with some dishing on political chickacanery I saw on hand but I wanted to mention it here as well because it really was something I needed. I needed that reminder that, yeah, there’s not really sales, and I am not necessarily where I want to be with any sort of writing ‘career’ but it was great to have someone take a moment to smile on me. That was pretty neat. And the opportunity to have my wife and daughter there, that was icing on the cake. My mom didn’t get to live long enough to see this but I know she woulda smiled about it.

For sure.

Once in a while, it’s just nice to be noticed.

I hope someone notices you, friend.