Finding yourself at Barnes & Noble

My parents came over today and watched the kids so my wife and I could go out for a couple of hours. 

Back before we had kids, our typical form of entertainment was to go to Borders (RIP) and drink coffee and read magazines.  Exciting, I know, but I still get nostalgic about those weekday nights when we could spontaneously go out for a few hours without any worries.

So today we hit Barnes & Noble.  I know it might not be popular to say this, but I'll say it anyhow: I love big bookstore chains.  We ordered our drinks (I order normal coffee, because that's how I roll) and then pick out a stack of magazines and plant down at a table.

My magazines for those interested were Fortean Times, Atlantis Rising, The Skeptic, and Skeptical Inquirer.  Skeptical Inquirer was of special interest because one of my old college physics professors had a letter to the editor printed in that issue.  (Note: As a comp-sci major, I didn't actually take any physics classes in college.  I spent a summer working in the physics library, though, so I did know him.  Also my brother and best friend both took physics.  So it counts.)

So after that tangent, where was I?  I don't know...but I like bookstores.

After we finished paging through the magazines, we split up and walked around a bit.  This is the part that both inspires and depresses me as a writer.  I hit the science fiction section and look at the novels.  First, looking at all of these books gives me hope.  It's like physical evidence that you can make it writing.  After all, someone did write these books, so someone did get paid for them.  But the depressing part is that the overwhelming majority of sci-fi/fantasy books are parts of a series.  And a lot of those series are based on TV shows or movies.  Stand-alone novels by new writers aren't all that common in the chain stores.

It just means that there's work to do.  And it also reminds me that getting into the "real" bookstores isn't the real objective, even though I still think it would be really cool to see my own books there someday when the day comes.  Although some of my anthologies are on bn.com, so I suppose if I really wanted to, I could go into a store and have them order me a copy.  Lame or awesome?  You decide...

Anyhow, the real objective is to be the most successful writer I can be.  To hopefully reach that day where I can write full time.  And if I get there, great.  If not, at least I won't reach the end of my life regretting that I never tried.