About Me— JGS
So now I have to talk about myself? Is my story really necessary?
No, my own personal story is just not that important. My stories are the ones that have the actual value or at least I hope they do. The further I dig myself into my stories (which are novels, hopefully), it seems the more distracted I get. So, I have quit social media except for Medium and I do my best only to read or pay attention to issues and topics that will further my own development.
All these things interfere with my writing and I only have a limited time on earth to produce anything of value. Will it be of value? IDK. If it is of value to just one person, one complete stranger, then it will have been worth the effort as far as I am concerned. Loved ones and friends count but they already know me, so it only counts if someone who doesn’t is either positively or negatively affected. If I can cause just one stranger to ponder something deeper or lead them to look at life a little differently, then I will have done my job and completed my mission.
Ok, I guess the best way to define who I am is how I see myself which I will just go ahead and list in order of dominance.
First, husband to Natasha; Second, Eastern Orthodox Christian; Third, typical Jersey boy; Fourth, former US Marine (I was a lousy one but the Marines had a very positive effect on me later in life); Fifth, intellectually curious reader of classic literature, various nonfiction and ancient Orthodox writings; Sixth, Nomad; Seventh, begins the smorgasbord of all other qualities that wax and wane. Currently, I have moved from Florida to Kyiv, Ukraine in order to be closer to my wife’s family in Belarus (don’t go there, please!). Life so far has been interesting and a struggle at times. I really didn’t hit my stride until my 40’s and am now riding the comfortable wave of my mid-fifties. Surf’s up! Going where the wave will take me.
I am not on Medium to monetize, that I can say for sure. I came here to publish my first novella for free which is titled “Notes from a Reluctant Alpha Male” and is based on Dostoevsky’s “Notes from the Underground”. My favorite author thus far in life are the above mentioned Russian and John Steinbeck. I am not a Writer but am attempting to be an Author. Not that I look down on all you Writers. No, I, in fact, admire you for the short game and being successful at it here on Medium.
So, what is my long game? Currently, I am working on my third novel which I doubt will be a masterpiece compared to the ones that I admire. Right now, it is stacking up to be more of an epic novel. Epic as classified by the word count, that is. At the current rate, it will be over 110,000 words which makes it fall into that classification. Is it any good? Hell, if I know what others will think. I know that as it currently stands, it is a work that I would enjoy reading. So, in the end I am being selfish and a hypocrite because I am writing for myself, aren’t I?
What’s it about? Like Warren Zevon and his A Certain Girl, I can’t tell ya.
I can tell ya that this major work will hopefully be followed by at least one more and is totally unrelated to the one in progress. There are a couple more laying in the dustbin of my brain that are not epic but might end up being quite good if I ever get to them. Of course, they will probably recognized as such posthumously as I got no time, no interest and no desire for self promotion.
The stuff (other than the novella) I am publishing on Medium is distraction writing which I sometimes do when I hit writer’s block with my major work or when I am just too lazy to work on the big one. Some of it is also from old files.
Anyway. If you are a Writer on Medium and making money then keep on keeping on. If you are here just because that thing that lives inside your soul and makes you write, well, join the party. Love, Peace and Bacon Grease!
