“You can’t give up on us. Yes, in general, human beings are — shitty. But we do our shitty best.”
A dear friend inspired these lines years ago. I haven’t found a more succinct explanation of the human condition since, and they certainly form the life’s philosophy of Dr. Owen Sakata in Vagabonder. Like Sakata, whenever I despair of our future as human beings, I remind myself that we’re all just doing our best.
Our best is sometimes shitty.
At least mine has been lately. I find myself less than a week away from my book launch, and I haven’t done diddly or squat to promote it properly. Lots of reasons for that. Some of them pretty good.
Truth is, my head hasn’t exactly been in the game. I imagine we’re all in a similar situation. Working too hard, worrying too much, grieving losses of all shapes and sizes.
I feel a little like I did when I had to go around to my neighbors and ask them to buy a candle or some overpriced wrapping paper so my school could afford art or printer paper. I knew sales weren’t for me in the third grade when my sales pitch consisted of, “You don’t want to buy anything, do you?” and “The school is making me do this.”
I’m a little nervous, too. What if you don’t like the candle…er, book? Honestly, that’s all but guaranteed with a book. Someone, somewhere is going to hate it. Maybe a lot of someones. But I hope not.
Mostly I feel excited. And maybe a little proud. Writing this book was the hardest thing I’ve done in my life, but it’s also been so. Much. Fun.
Twenty-third century Earth, the Vine, and Luna are my second home. Owen Sakata my guru. Ligeia Obumbwe my best friend. Madge Erlang my frenemy. And Caen…
Well, you’ll have to meet Caen for yourself.
Vagabonder will launch on September 20 and is available for pre-order at https://tinyurl.com/wnc25pyt
I hope you’ll pick it up!