Comments from readers

I think everyone would agree that it is good to make money from our efforts in life, whether work or hobby. It is, however, a rare thing to happen in writing, but one sticks with it in hopes that the big payoff will happen someday. Along the way, a few dollars dribble in, but they are often less meaningful than the words of readers. I receive lots of messages from people, virtually all positive and backslappy, but some really stand out.  Here are a couple. The first is from a guy who read Percy.

Hi Steve: 

Received the books Monday and finished them last night. This morning feels like I'm back from a trip. Don't want to say much about them, but like all good writing, the poems are a testimonial to the importance of life - even what seems like minor events, maybe especially the minor things. Two of my favorites were Pecking Order and Cape of Burden.

The coffee I brewed this morning's a bit nasty. I always buy the cheapest brand and know that if I can get the concentration just right, it's as good as the high-end stuff, but it's a narrow target. I'm thinking if Meador was here, he'd know what to do.


The second is from a woman who follows my photography and writing posts on facebook.

just have to say, i picture your ride's trunk having an old wooden divided crate full of an assortment of empty brewski bottles, another small antique trunk full of (stuff my g'ma had in her attic in Arkansas...) ...or maybe just filled with a miscellaneous of magical items such as oil lamps, peacock feathers, small tin buckets...a ziploc bag of nails and screws and one of those handy dandy Craftsmen 100 in 1 rechargeable handyman tools...a few small faded cans of paint and some of those foam brushes for quick presto-change-o...more than likely an assortment of coffee cup wraps with 'just the right' quote for the day...an old wooden chair with layers and layers of different colored paints and 4 different height legs...because it's been used in so many different locations and landscapes...New Orleans swamplands, Key Largo...maybe the everglades, bay harbor... near Petoskey, MI, in the snow at Canoe Point on the way to Bar Harbor, ME, somewhere in a western us desert sand..., the sand at Indian Rock Beach...very suitable no matter where, partly because you have just the right cans and colors of paints to help, along the way...or partly because you have directed your attention so completely on your intentions...to always find a perfect shot of the day to fill one empty spot in your puzzle of life...so that tomorrow will always be fresh and new...yet full of statement. oh yeah, and one or two discarded camera lenses that can no longer fulfill a need...replaced by a much better one picked up for a really great price at a road side sale, or a going out of business camera store that just couldn't withstand the present economy...or maybe just 'i can get such an awesome few shots with no special attachments or extra lenses' because you have such an eye for that kind of thing...and ...really, no coffee cup wraps at all...because you have a way with words and a passion for...expression and creativity...

how bout doing a 'trunk study' ... Steve, thanks for sharing!

Thanks Pam and John. Makes every tap of the keyboard and click of the shutter worthwhile!