When I decided to become a blogger, I told myself I would use it sparingly. You know, no more than a couple of posts a month. You see, I’ve been known to overdo it from time to time on Facebook. I’ve literally been with Facebook since Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker plotted to put it in every college campus within 150 miles of Texas’ big universities. At the time, it was a novel new fad, one that my archaeology group decided to use to inform others of archaeology group meetings and lab times. Those were the simple days, when only college students could join, before corporations started hawking their ads and targeting your likes and dislikes, and long before high school kids were able to join, thus making me painfully aware of the spelling and grammatical issues plaguing teenagers today. I’ve gone through every incarnation known to Facebook, and along with every change, I’ve dreadfully accepted it, knowing each change would dramatically add to my procrastination schedule. Believe me, it’s full. But surprisingly enough, never full enough for whatever new app, game, or new and improved whatever flavor of the day. And stupid me, knowing full well what I’m getting myself in, will post about it, comment, like, unlike, post a pic, post a video, check out the game or block the game, agree or disagree with the political rantings (of which there are MANY the last 2 days), hide certain people for said political rantings, block people who post pics of dead babies and animals, laugh at memes, repost memes, make a few memes, and react in horror at highly inappropriate memes while I secretly laugh inside, then start the cycle anew the next hour. Yes, I have a slight Facebook addiction.
And because of that, I swore I wouldn’t overpost on my blog. I tell you all that to tell you this. I’m making a new post, barely 24 hours after my last post. Why? Because I had two stories come out yesterday. Just when I didn’t think I could get excited enough about my story, “The Grace of None, Save One” being featured at the Wordsmith Journal Magazine, I received an email from Gravel Magazine, the MFA journal of the University of Arkansas Monticello, informing me they would be posting a non-fic piece that day. I received the acceptance letter last month, but at the time the journal didn’t know when they would post it. I didn’t think of it as a big deal since I had another story coming out on Oct. 1st. But come to find out, I had a two-fer yesterday and that was just a glorious feeling! I’m quite sure I made about 10 posts on Facebook yesterday about the new publications. And being that I’m running two blogs now (http://octoberwineandwrite.wordpress.com/), everyone on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, etc. are getting double doses of my postings. I’m not sure if it’s becoming annoying yet. Believe me, I find nothing more annoying than people who literally post 20 videos in a row on Facebook, or 30 about cats. I don’t want to be one of those people. I remember comedian Bernie Mac once discussed the merits in the entertainment business of “always leave them wanting more”. I really like that philosophy and personally use it. And as Oscar Wilde so eloquently put it, “There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” If I had to accomplish two things at this stage in my journey, it’s to leave you wanting more and to keep the good chatter going for a little while longer.
So check out my newest non-fiction story, “Toward The Light” at Gravel Magazine. And a big thank you to my friends and all who follow me on this awesome journey.
Wendy
The Paperback Writer 