Friday’s Fun Find | Cathy C. Hall Writes

Yeah, that’s me with a ‘stache-on-a-stick.

I woke this morning with no idea what the Friday’s Fun Find would be–or if there would be one. But then serendipity struck as it so often does when I’m not looking, and I happened on to a post called, “And In This Corner…Fear.”

It’s from the blog, The Art of Manliness, and yes, on the post, you will see a couple boxers, but no, it’s not really about boxing as much as it is facing fear, particularly the fears that pound writers, day in and day out. Truly, David Levien wrote so well and so engagingly and so profoundly that I feel like I must read one of his books right. this. minute.

That’s how good it is. So if you are ever asked to write a guest post, consider that it’s your chance to meet new readers and put your best foot forward. Also, you might want to take a few minutes and peruse all the gems over there on the AoM.

And, yes, I know the vast majority of my blog readers are of the female variety but there are an awful lot of fine words over there that I think women would appreciate as well. I especially appreciated the last line from the About page:

Ultimately, the Art of Manliness aims to encourage our readers to be better husbands, fathers, brothers, citizens — a new generation of great men.

Honestly, I am all for that, aren’t you?

When Libby does it, it’s cute.

So if you’re friends with me on Facebook, you may have already seen this little exchange between me and Mister Man the other night. I had brought my laptop to bed with me because a friend asked me to read a recently finished manuscript. But as it happens, I, too, recently finished a manuscript and mentioned said completed manuscript to Mister Man. And here is what happened next:

Mister Man said, “Read your book to me.”
Me: “No.”
He: “Really, I want to hear it.”
He: “Seriously.”
Me: (Sighing) “Okay, I’ll read the first chapter.”
After three pages (mostly dialogue)…
He: “How long is this chapter, anyway?”
One and a half pages later…
Me: That’s the end of the chapter.”
He: “That was pretty good, I guess. So how many chapters does this book have?”
Me: “Thirty.”
He: “THIRTY!! That seems like an awful lot of chapters to make the poor kids read.”

Yep, he’s supportive that way.

The next night, Mister Man asked again if I’d read a chapter to him. To be honest, he’d been a pretty good sport about the ribbing he’d taken from the Facebook thing. So against my better judgement, I started the next chapter.

Which is also only five pages.

Five pages.

He was snoring (though he swears he was not) when I hit the end of page two. So last night, LAST NIGHT, he asked again if I’d read to him from my book.

“You only want me to read so you can sleep,” says I. “The minute I start talking, you start snoozing.”

“Not true,” says he. “I really like that book.”

“What’s the name of the book?”

“Uh…’night!”

Maybe you have a book, too. I don’t know who you can read it to but you can send it to the Master of the Inkpot Competition (David Fickling Books) and maybe get it read by someone who will stay awake long enough to get through the title.