Gotta share the “Simpsons” The Book Job” Episode while it’s up on Hulu:

See, I Haven’t been posting because I haven’t been writing.

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Why? Personal reasons. Sorry, but it’s been a heck of a year.

I Know, I know. Last year, I started “Teddy Roosevelt and The Lost World” right around NaNoWriMo, and it seemed like every month I was getting closer to finishing it.

But around March, Everything came crashing down. Economic issues? Check. Wife lost her salary two years before, was working almost full time but was finally laid off. Health Issues? Apnea, Arthritis and Reflux all wore me down.  Work and Career? Began looking for a way out.  Family Issues? In spades, and I’m not ready to talk about it.

Things got real bad. Bad enough to start counseling. Bad enough that it wasn’t helping all that much. It’s tough when you go in for help and only bitch about the things that have fallen apart since the last time you came in.

But things do change and Evolve. I’ve been working my way through “The Artist’s Way” and have

realized that I had a lot of recovering to do. I’ve managed to keep my relationship with my Wife together, and we’ve started to heal. I’ve learned how to communicate better (It’s hard for me as a writer to say that- Jesus H. Christ, I want to communicate for a living and am a Communications teacher). Kids are OK. Got a new job, things are looking up.

And I’ve started work on the book again. It’s still a slog- I’ve lost that initial burst of energy. But it feels more real. It feels more solid this time. There was an air of desperation last year- That I knew what was coming and needed to make a change. Last year, I thought the book was it. This year it isn’t it’s part of a process. And I feel a lot better.

Eighteen years ago, my wife, our one-year-old dughter and I moved from Columbus Ohio to Youngstown to finish school. We had met in Columbus as college dropouts, got married, had Jamie ( Not necessarily in that order) and were going home to get our degrees.

On the way out of town, we stopped at a local independent bookstore and sold a box of books for gas money. Among the treasures was “Call of Cthulhu: 2nd Edition,” the one with all the full color plates and the “Lair of Great Cthulhu” song in the back.

Last fall, Jamie entered CCAD as a freshman. She’s a lot more driven than we ever were, and a lot more disciplined. She’s been doing great, but only leaves campus for the Short North.

We decided to show her some of our old stomping grounds in Grandview: Nong’s restaurant is still there. The Big Bear is now a Giant Eagle. The Grandview Theater still exists. Where Nickleby’s used to be is an Aladdin’s, which was started right here in Boardman.

And the Acorn Bookstore on Fifth Ave. is still there. “Hmm,” I said. “I’ve got to sTop by and see if they still have my books.”

So last weekend, we did. And no, they didn’t have the CoC. But I did find a couple “Weird Tales” that were mine (1989 edition) and this small press magazine from the same time:

I asked the owners about CoC, and told them My crazy story, which they heard out. But they said they donated the RPG books to the library years ago. So I’m still looking for my old copy.

So, If you go to the Grandview Library, Let me know if my old book is still there. And stop by the Bookstore and let them know I appreciate their great stewardship of my small magazines.