Hello again.  Been dormant for awhile.  Nothing personal, dear and precious reader.  I’ve continued to write during my blogging hiatus, but haven’t hopped on here to share.  Too many shiny distractions, ya know.

Lately, I’ve been focusing on finalizing a purpose and theme to create a book.  I want to commit myself to getting it done…no more ass-dragging.

I spent last Saturday at the inaugural Iowa Book Festival. Heard some inspiring keynote national authors, went to some thought-provoking and informative seminars, and got biz cards from two local book publishers. And I made a great connection with Adam Carroll, financial expert and author of “The Money Savvy Student.”

We discussed blogging.  Told him about “Godservations;” he loved the domain name.  And the story behind “The Iowa Seer.”  He seemed genuinely interested in checking my writing (and no, I’m not name-dropping here in hopes that he does!)

I shared my idea for combining several of my passions into a book subject.  Genealogy, history, spiritual/transitional matters, story telling, and poetry.  I’ll weave these together by sharing my family mythology–specifically, the quirky twists that led certain couples to meet and produce offspring that eventually resulted in ME.   Like Mom and Dad meeting at Rowley HS–one a teacher, one a student.  And “Cookie Grandma” Olson, meeting her future husband when she found him sleeping in their barn.  How a grandpa–who by dying in an 1840’s barn-raising–allowed his widow to remarry and bring the first Grover to Buchanan County.  The story of homely Peleg Austin and his heartbroken bride.

I can even include how I met my wife.  Deb and I…seeing one another for the first time…on a locked mental ward.  I’ll include some transitory/spiritual Godservations.

I’m hoping the end result is an appreciation for the bizarre circumstances that could have only aligned in the particular way they did…to create US.  To have us realize how infinitely individual we all are.  And, newly enlightened,  to ponder our destiny with a increased awe and respect.

I plan to get all this written before editing.  That’s how the big kids said they do it–some of them even sold me their books last weekend.

Gonna try to work on this several times a week.  It’s a project I owe my ancestors, my parents, my wife and my kids.  My birthday present to myself will to have the first draft done by July 5th.  That’s about three months, and blogging will be a good way to crank out the story. It’s good to have a theme.

For now, it’s bedtime.