Reginald Shepherd
When I was nineteen years old, in my second year of college, and had established "Marketing" as my major, I somehow stumbled across an Intro to Creative Writing course. Reginald Shepherd was the professor. Yes, I have always been a writer, but over the course of that semester he opened my eyes to a world I never knew and ached to be a part of. I changed my major to English Literature. He praised my writing and made it better. He pushed for me to produce, produce, produce and I think now about how much time I have wasted working in a law office when I should have just been writing all along.
I heard the news today that he passed away last week and I feel broken right now. I feel like somehow I disappointed him. Because I always focused on a job, or a boy, or something else, when I should have just been writing all along.
I went through my old emails this afternoon and found several he had written me when he wanted me to be the editor of the Literary Magazine on campus. I declined, "because of work", but he still had the kindest words for me.
I cannot believe he will not be at my first book signing. Or even see my first short story in print.
I am ready for this next step.
I wrote a short story today. I am going to keep producing producing producing until I create something publishable.
Then I am going to dedicate it to him. Because he started all of this.
I heard the news today that he passed away last week and I feel broken right now. I feel like somehow I disappointed him. Because I always focused on a job, or a boy, or something else, when I should have just been writing all along.
I went through my old emails this afternoon and found several he had written me when he wanted me to be the editor of the Literary Magazine on campus. I declined, "because of work", but he still had the kindest words for me.
I cannot believe he will not be at my first book signing. Or even see my first short story in print.
I am ready for this next step.
I wrote a short story today. I am going to keep producing producing producing until I create something publishable.
Then I am going to dedicate it to him. Because he started all of this.