Two things...

I've celebrated my birthday, the new year and I hope my blogging will continue, and become stronger and stronger along with my writing. I have a couple things to talk about.

First, I am happy to announce that my piece titled, Ojos de mi Padre, is now published at theshinejournal.com for the month of January.

This is my first publication outside of Intrepid Media in quite some time, and I am very proud of it. The piece was originally published at Intrepid Media, but I'm thankful for IM's flexibility in allowing me to do with my work whatever I wish. Everyone at IM has been incredibly supportive and helpful, and I feel nothing but gratitude for that community for showing me just how far I can go with my talent, and that money isn't a measurement of success for a true writer.

Second thing...

I really believe there is nothing worse than trying to read a book recognized as an important literary work, and find it boring, uninteresting, or just plain bad. I've read through a few of such books in recent years, and though it's hard to get through them, I am still proud in the end when I do finish them and form a solid opinion. That way, I feel my opinion is legit, because I read the entire thing, giving my argument more weight than if I were to listen to that nagging voice telling me to just give up and stop boring myself to tears!

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. In a very short time, I've managed to pick out four or five books in a row that have kept me interested enough to not be able to put the book down. I have finally reached a huge hump with my reading that I am struggling to get over.

In my attempt to not forget the literary classics and greats, which are quite frankly my favorite kinds of books to read, I picked up Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. It has been at least two weeks and I'm just barely halfway done. I hate to say it, but I don't think I can continue with this book much longer. Though I can't deny it is well-written, in the sense that you can almost smell the atmosphere described, it has been agony for me to read about an impotent guy, the cold-hearted woman he loves, and his obnoxious and moody friend all making their way through France and Spain, drinking wine, fishing and hurting each other. I don't know how many pages are dedicated to just describing these characters drinking wine, but it's entirely too much.

I am wrestling still with the idea, but I think I just might give in to that voice and move on to something more satisfying, and stop boring myself to tears.

I think I will move on to The Blind Assassinby Margaret Atwood. I've never read anything of Atwood's, but from the sounds of it, this book is a mix of mystery, sci-fi and romance... and I doubt it pays too much attention to people sitting around and drinking wine by the gallon!