My Book What I Wrote...
Well, it finally happened. My book came in the mail today. The one I wrote (well, wrote part of, at any rate.) Doctor Who: Short Trips - How the Doctor Changed My Life, which is now available from all good online merchants and UK bookshops. I wish I could tell you how it feels to see my name in print. I wish I could tell you in long, flowing passages of prose that would delight you. But in the end, I can only describe it thusly: It feels good. :)
Now, I don't know if I'll ever get another piece of fiction into print or not, but even if I don't, I did what I set out to do some twenty odd years ago - I wrote a Doctor Who story. The name of my story is entitled Running on Empty. It features the Seventh Doctor and contains the words knick-knacks, denim, and Shibuya. I highly urge anyone who hasn't ordered a copy to do so. There are some really great stories in this book, most of them not written by me, and I think you might like what you see. If not, you can blame me for my story, and you can blame Simon, my editor, for any of the rest of them. Actually, blame Simon for mine also. It's his fault it was accepted, after all.
Since there was no real section of the book available for dedications, I'd like to take this moment to thank a few people (it won't be as long as an Oscar speech, trust me!):
Thanks to Simon Guerrier - my editor, Xanna Eve Chown - the Short Trips range editor, and Big Finish for publishing me. Congratulations also to my fellow authors - particularly Calapine and Arnold T. Blumberg, both of whom I knew before the contest and both of whom I am honored and delighted to have my name in print alongside.
A special shout-out for the "Coal Hill School Gang" - Spade Aceman, Morgeil, and Charmy Inaba - for being my best friends in the online world. They say that you can never really know people online unless you meet them in person, but having virtually "met" you three, I can confidently say that isn't necessarily the case. I have been blessed by your presence in my life, and I thank you for being my friends.
Speaking of friends, I'd be remiss in my duties as a friend if neglected to mention Trey Krimsin, my best friend in the whole world. Hey look, TK, I finally got off my butt and did something!!!
I'd like to thank my Grandmother for always believing in me and trying to teach me to do the right thing. Any time I've done the right thing, it's usually due to her influence. Any time that I haven't...well, I'd rather not talk about that, but trust me, it's not her fault.
I'd like to thank the rest of my family as a group, with one exception...
Seamus O'Brienn, my brother, without whom, this literally would not have been possible. I was plagued by self-doubt and a complete lack of confidence and, as a result, actually had no intention of finishing my contest entry. I was lazy. I kept putting off writing my story, figuring for certain that even if I finished it, it wouldn't win and that there would be no point in doing so. You made me mad enough at myself to get me to finish, and I can never thank you enough for that. You are the reason my name is in that book, and you should feel just as proud of that as I always have been of you.
Lastly, I'd like to thank God. For my life, for the small modicum of talent you've bestowed upon me, and for being there for me when I needed you. And for only taking me seriously when I really, really meant it.
Now, I don't know if I'll ever get another piece of fiction into print or not, but even if I don't, I did what I set out to do some twenty odd years ago - I wrote a Doctor Who story. The name of my story is entitled Running on Empty. It features the Seventh Doctor and contains the words knick-knacks, denim, and Shibuya. I highly urge anyone who hasn't ordered a copy to do so. There are some really great stories in this book, most of them not written by me, and I think you might like what you see. If not, you can blame me for my story, and you can blame Simon, my editor, for any of the rest of them. Actually, blame Simon for mine also. It's his fault it was accepted, after all.
Since there was no real section of the book available for dedications, I'd like to take this moment to thank a few people (it won't be as long as an Oscar speech, trust me!):
Thanks to Simon Guerrier - my editor, Xanna Eve Chown - the Short Trips range editor, and Big Finish for publishing me. Congratulations also to my fellow authors - particularly Calapine and Arnold T. Blumberg, both of whom I knew before the contest and both of whom I am honored and delighted to have my name in print alongside.
A special shout-out for the "Coal Hill School Gang" - Spade Aceman, Morgeil, and Charmy Inaba - for being my best friends in the online world. They say that you can never really know people online unless you meet them in person, but having virtually "met" you three, I can confidently say that isn't necessarily the case. I have been blessed by your presence in my life, and I thank you for being my friends.
Speaking of friends, I'd be remiss in my duties as a friend if neglected to mention Trey Krimsin, my best friend in the whole world. Hey look, TK, I finally got off my butt and did something!!!
I'd like to thank my Grandmother for always believing in me and trying to teach me to do the right thing. Any time I've done the right thing, it's usually due to her influence. Any time that I haven't...well, I'd rather not talk about that, but trust me, it's not her fault.
I'd like to thank the rest of my family as a group, with one exception...
Seamus O'Brienn, my brother, without whom, this literally would not have been possible. I was plagued by self-doubt and a complete lack of confidence and, as a result, actually had no intention of finishing my contest entry. I was lazy. I kept putting off writing my story, figuring for certain that even if I finished it, it wouldn't win and that there would be no point in doing so. You made me mad enough at myself to get me to finish, and I can never thank you enough for that. You are the reason my name is in that book, and you should feel just as proud of that as I always have been of you.
Lastly, I'd like to thank God. For my life, for the small modicum of talent you've bestowed upon me, and for being there for me when I needed you. And for only taking me seriously when I really, really meant it.