I had a dream about a gray man.

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It’s true. This whole thing started because of a dream I had about a gray man. He lived as hermit isolated from the rest of the world, because of the scrutiny he would feel from other people. I had this dream more than once, and each time I had it, the story would develop more. Finally one night, the dream series came to climatic finish, when the gray man in my dreams, woke from a long slumber and had turned into an angel.

I started to write notes about the dream, trying to remember the details, but most of what I dreamt is lost forever. I just can’t remember it. That’s ok because it gave me an opportunity to fill in the missing pieces with conscious ideas of my own. The one thing that kept coming back to me was the fact that, the gray man in my dream went through a metamorphosis, similar to a caterpillar that turns into a butterfly. He turned into an angel and then I stopped dreaming about him.

Well, before you jump to conclusions, this isn’t a spoiler. I started to develop a story that turned out to be inspired by this mystical dream series. It was in November of 2009 that I really began to piece together a story that was worth writing. By the early spring of 2010, I’d completed the first draft of what would ultimately become the finished story that is in circulation now.

All spring, summer, and even into the fall, I read, wrote, and rewrote my book trying to get it to sound just how I wanted it. I even sent copies of the draft to a few trustworthy people, and asked them to review it and offer insights into the story that I might have missed. I knew how the story was supposed to go, but I needed reassurance from an unbiased source to let me know whether I was properly getting my point across. As an amateur writer, trying to pull off a professional feat, I was willing to accept any feedback I could get.

It was a difficult decision for me to decide to self-publish my book, especially considering the economy of time. After much thought, I decided to invest in myself; it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to really go out on a limb and do something for myself. It was a chance for me to stand up and tell the world that I believed in me. Besides, it kept me from having to deal with the rejection of submitting my work to countless publishers, hoping that just one of them would find my labor of love amusing.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that I’ve somehow found a way to bypass criticism, judgment, and rejection. I will have plenty of opportunities to experience all of that. Anyone who takes the time to read a book is making an investment of time and is therefore entitled to critique the work. While I believe many people may be able to overlook the fresh and simplistic nature of my amateur writing skills and just enjoy the story, I welcome those who would tear me down for every misplaced quotation. I hope it makes me a better writer.

I’d like to think that every person in the world will read my book and love it, but that’s just not realistic, and I’m ok with that. I know of, at least, a handful of people who like my book and that’s plenty for me… but I’m not turning my nose up at the prospect of getting more people to jump onto the “I like this” bandwagon. -Day 3 complete.