Stories inspire, challenge, & catalyze change in us. Through stories we learn who we are, & raise our vision for who we want to become. Sure, our primary purpose for spending time with a story is usually entertainment, but there is always so much more going on beneath the surface.

I was a weird kid. When other boys my age were racing around on the playground I was tucked up on a bench working my way through the Illiad. I wasn't anti-social or unhappy, I just continually found that the stories I read spoke to me in a language I didn't fully understand but wanted to know better. It was the language of dreams & quests, self-sacrifice & courage, hope, despair, longing, & love.

I didn't realize it at the time, but the rich feast of stories I consumed as a kid was teaching me the language of our shared human experience. The chance to add my own small dishes to that banquet table is both a joy & a privilege.

But I also keep returning to writing my stories because writing itself makes me a better person every day. Writing forces you to examine your assumptions. It requires you to engage your higher self, choose discipline over laziness & courage over fear each time you fire up your laptop or break out the notebook & pencil. Writing clears my head, helps me focus, & keeps me oriented towards what really matters in life.

So thanks for allowing me to share my stories with you. I know your time & attention are extremely valuable, & you have to fight off a thousand interruptions, ads, & distractions every day before dinner, so I truly appreciate you spending some of it on these worlds I've poured onto the page.