10 years ago...

[lovecraft68]

10 years ago this month-the 13th to be exact-I published "Almost Perfect" a story that was far from perfect, but the first thing I'd ever written for anyone other than my wife to see.

I had no idea what I was expecting out of putting some of my smut out there, but I certainly wasn't expecting what did come out of it.

10 years later I have around a 140 stories here(and that's after deleting a bunch) have published 150+ e-books on Smashwords amazon and other platforms and have five novels in paperback since I started selling in 2011.

I joined a local author's association and have spent the last four years doing book events both with them and on my own at Comic cons and horror conventions, and although still far from perfect, my writing has come a long way to where I look back on my original stories here and kind of cringe

In general I've enjoyed a fair amount of success here, and made a pretty decent second income selling, and every once in awhile I'd win a contest here, or look at one of my royalty payments and think...wow, someone actually likes my stuff.

Looking back my wife of course, was and still is, my biggest supporter, but I doubt I would have kept going without the readers here who would send e-mails looking for the next story or some nice comments and some authors(most of whom are no longer active here) who took some time to reach out and not only encourage me, but give me some advice and answer some questions.

So I guess what I'm saying is thank you to the platform and the readers, and other authors. Especially big thanks to trolls and detractors, because nothing motivates me more than knowing I'm giving someone the finger by continuing to write.

So be proud literotica denizens...you created this.

 

[SimonDoom]

Congratulations on your anniversary and success, and thanks also for contributing insight and perspective on the story-writing. Cheers to more years of stories and success ahead.

 

[Blind_Justice]

Congrats, LC. I'll need to put a LOT more words to paper to match your output. Well, I still have two years until my 10-year publishing anniversary.

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

Congratulations

It's inspiring to hear such a success story. Well done.

 

[ElectricBlue]

So be proud literotica denizens...you created this.

I thought Mary Shelley created the crazed, lurching monster, not Litizens .

Well done, you!

 

[AlinaX]

Impressive stuff. Happy anniversary!

 

[loquere]

Congratulations good sir.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Congrats!

 

[UsuallyPresent]

Impressive, perhaps even unnatural, stamina, Lovecraft. Ia! Ia! Ai!

 

[jsmiam]

Congrats!

I’m having trouble finding the link, but I just yesterday read an article about Stephen King’s pulling the first three pages of Carrie out the wastebasket. Go mrs king and mrs lovecraft!

 

[lovecraft68]

Congrats!

I’m having trouble finding the link, but I just yesterday read an article about Stephen King’s pulling the first three pages of Carrie out the wastebasket. Go mrs king and mrs lovecraft!

Yes, he got rejected so many times(imagine that) he tossed the manuscript and was going to get a job. Tabitha dug it out sent it off one more time and they picked it up.

Great story.

My writing was actually the product of our role playing and wanting to do some really detailed ones, so I created characters and back grounds and one night when she was away for a seminar I decided to write a scene with the two and the wife liked and asked "Then what"

So I kept adding and making them into actual stories...in 2012 those two characters attorney Mark Phillips and ad exec Allison Saunders would feature in my first full length novel the Tales of he Circle.

Which is almost as successful as...um...One of Kings discarded wastepaper buckets?

 

[lovecraft68]

Thank you everyone, much appreciated!

And when it dawned on me that this month made ten years it made me think about my role here and how I'd like to try and be helpful to the younger writers here, and pay forward what others did for me.

Now....of course for those who know me my idea of being motivational can sometimes be "stop whining about it and just do it" but....I mean well.

 

[TxRad]

Thank you everyone, much appreciated!

And when it dawned on me that this month made ten years it made me think about my role here and how I'd like to try and be helpful to the younger writers here, and pay forward what others did for me.

Now....of course for those who know me my idea of being motivational can sometimes be "stop whining about it and just do it" but....I mean well.

Uh huh, I think I remember someone telling you exactly that a long time back.

Time wounds all heels and makes better writers, if ya keep at it. Congrats, my friend.

 

[lovecraft68]

Uh huh, I think I remember someone telling you exactly that a long time back.

Time wounds all heels and makes better writers, if ya keep at it. Congrats, my friend.

I think you're the only person left active here that I got some really good advice from in my early time here and some good publishing advice later on. Reject reality the other, mostly with category choices and such.

I know people are going to think I'm nuts, but I used to talk to JBJ through PM and e-mail and he was a totally different animal when not playing his whack job persona for an audience. He helped me with a few issues I used to have.

 

[TxRad]

I think you're the only person left active here that I got some really good advice from in my early time here and some good publishing advice later on. Reject reality the other, mostly with category choices and such.

I know people are going to think I'm nuts, but I used to talk to JBJ through PM and e-mail and he was a totally different animal when not playing his whack job persona for an audience. He helped me with a few issues I used to have.

No, I talk to him also and he would have been a good addition to the AH if he could have kept his BS in check.

Keep up the good work. I love to see authors from here making it higher and higher.

Most have to work at it, I lucked into my boost.

 

[NotWise]

No, I talk to him also and he would have been a good addition to the AH if he could have kept his BS in check.

I was in the process of saying just this when I had a major aquarium accident. Now the accident is fixed.

In my time here, JBJ was one of the most complex and sometimes interesting people on the forum. It was just too bad that he couldn't keep himself from being an asshole.

 

[jsmiam]

Now lookahere, fellas. If he comes back it’ll be YOUR FAULT!

 

[ElectricBlue]

In my time here, JBJ was one of the most complex and sometimes interesting people on the forum. It was just too bad that he couldn't keep himself from being an asshole.

Echo that. For a right wing redneck, who would usually not be my companion of choice, I actually got on well with Noir behind the scenes. As for his shenanigans here on the AH, when clowns rose to the bait every time with such predictable regularity, why wouldn't you have some fun? Shooting fish in a barrel, I thought.

 

[ChloeTzang]

No, I talk to him also and he would have been a good addition to the AH if he could have kept his BS in check.

Keep up the good work. I love to see authors from here making it higher and higher.

Most have to work at it, I lucked into my boost.

Yes, I really like JBJ and I miss him, grumpy old asshole persona and all. He was lovely to chat with and I liked his sense of humor.

And congratulations, Lovecraft- and it’s good to see you back after your sabbatical.

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

Wow, congratulations!!

 

[lovecraft68]

Echo that. For a right wing redneck, who would usually not be my companion of choice, I actually got on well with Noir behind the scenes. As for his shenanigans here on the AH, when clowns rose to the bait every time with such predictable regularity, why wouldn't you have some fun? Shooting fish in a barrel, I thought.

I feel the same way-and have been guilty of doing it here and there-when someone rings a bell, no one is required to answer it, but they do. Its like Pavlov's dog, and JBJ would just sit back and laugh.

The far right wing routine was that as well. Not that he wasn't a basic conservative, but all the race baiting and sexism and other things was an act to get the self righteous in an uproar. If he ever discussed his family with you, you'll know what I mean.

 

[SolarRay]

Congrats and happy anniversary!

 

[jsmiam]

Did he ever reveal (or has anyone asked him to) his stories identity? (Or taking a step back, revealing whether there was one, etc. etc.?). Lots of implications to weed through there! ;-)

 

[lovecraft68]

Did he ever reveal (or has anyone asked him to) his stories identity? (Or taking a step back, revealing whether there was one, etc. etc.?). Lots of implications to weed through there! ;-)

Are you talking about JBJ and the "Green E" story?

It did exist. He sent myself and another author "Patientlee" who has long since left the link. I had it bookmarked, but that was on the lap top that fried, and I no longer have it and can't recall the name.

It was about a female slave and written under a different name and within a few sentences you knew it was him, he had his own style.

TBH even if I had it, I wouldn't share it because he never did publicly, only to a small group of people he could trust.

I always admired the fact that all he had to do was post the link to it and shut the naysayers up, but he liked the fact they refused to believe him, and had more fun with them calling him a liar because they were so mad he may have actually gotten something that at the end of the day only means Laurel liked your story.

That's a sign of someone who truly doesn't give a shit, and part of why I liked him.

 

[jsmiam]

Are you talking about JBJ and the "Green E" story?

It did exist. He sent myself and another author "Patientlee" who has long since left the link. I had it bookmarked, but that was on the lap top that fried, and I no longer have it and can't recall the name.

It was about a female slave and written under a different name and within a few sentences you knew it was him, he had his own style.

TBH even if I had it, I wouldn't share it because he never did publicly, only to a small group of people he could trust.

I always admired the fact that all he had to do was post the link to it and shut the naysayers up, but he liked the fact they refused to believe him, and had more fun with them calling him a liar because they were so mad he may have actually gotten something that at the end of the day only means Laurel liked your story.

That's a sign of someone who truly doesn't give a shit, and part of why I liked him.

Oh definitely, I wouldn’t ask anyone to reveal.

I asked because I have gaps in my attendance here, so I wasn’t sure if he ever chose to reveal it himself and I had missed it. Someone oughta ask him