Introducing myself

[Brainstormy]

I've been lurking for a while, but honestly have been a little reticent about subscribing and jumping in to this group for several reasons. I've been a writer and a teacher of writing at the university level for longer than most of you have been alive. I've published one novel(to lovely reviews but abysmal sales), and many short stories, and have another novel forthcoming, but I make my living now as a ghostwriter, mostly of business books. I write for very nice people, who think poorly and can barely construct a coherent paragraph, but who enjoy excellent sales as a result of their name recognition, business connections, and clearly a reader appetite for what I CAN write, but would not ordinarily read, unless I was made to as a prisoner of war.

I'm not sure what I can offer here. I know something about good literature. A lot about self-publishing. A lot about the frustrating quest for agents. A lot about the frustrations and expense of self-promotion. I'm a voracious reader who pretty much keeps us with the current. Maybe I can offer something to someone. What I'm looking for myself is a kick in the ass. I'd like to rediscover some of that excitement I catch in your posts. I'd like to just get that buzz again. The one I had when I was younger, more hopeful, and thought writing was fun.

Thanks. I feel less guilty about lurking.