It Gets Real

     It gets real.  Ever since I stepped outside of the Scene of the Crime bookstore with my copy of a brand new novel entitled Fletch I wanted to write.  I wanted to make characters come alive.  I wanted to tell stories.  I wanted to see my name on a book jacket, and later I decided that it would be really cool to sign my books for people.  Yet, that was not to happen, and still might not, but I am going to try.
     I will not bore you with the whys of my not writing.  I have taken classes, I have "dabbled," but really life and and  my life's choices led me away from this craft that I always wanted to embrace.  Now in place of that were some pretty cool things.  I was able to act on the stage in college, and on film for some small projects, or bigger projects that gave me small roles.   I became a closeup magician and performed for many people and became a Magician Member of the Academy of Magical Arts in Hollywood; also known as The Magic Castle.
   As you can read, I have done some cool things.  Yet, accept for class work and one fictional piece published in a seminary student periodically, I never reached the status of Author.  I still do not see if or when I will write fiction, but something happened recently, that may get me writing and if it is God's will published.
     People who hear my sermons know that I frequently interject stories from my "Hollywood" upbringing as the son of Television Executive Producer, Harry Ackerman, and actress Elinor Donahue.  In addition whether that be commercials, music videos or my working as a support production staff member on shows like Friends after people hear about that part of my life and learn what I do now by serving a congregation as their Episcopal priest, they invariably ask me: "How did you go from Hollywood to the priesthood?"
     One friend and author who interviewed my dad for some of his books, and still interviews my mother for others said to me many times: "Peter you have a unique story to tell, you need to put this down on paper and get it out there!"  When I finally aqueist and decided to try this out as part New Year's Resolution and partial Lenten practice my friend, Herbie, came through.  Before I knew it I had a phone consultation with a Literary Agent who handles show business and political memoirs and who ironically has her offices in nearby to me Washington DC (she never had a show biz client this close!).
     We spoke and asked each other questions and she gave me a 55 minute tutorial of the Publishing business which I found fascinating.  After discussion with my wife, Marie, a couple of friends, and lots of prayer, I knew that God was inviting me to try this out.  It is not fiction writing, just presenting  my own story tied into that of my parent's lives with the hopes from my Agent that it have more of the latter than the former.  Suffice it to say this week I singed with the Agent, whose contract, after the stipulation of my name and identity, refers to me as "Author."   Will God guide me to become a published one?  We shall see.
    So, it gets real.  I have begun writing the book that I want to write, and as I complete it we will see what my agent says.  If something ever comes of it, you will  know about it, and if not, you will know about it.  With some effort if it all comes to naught then I am out nothing more than putting memories down in a collection, but it also offers an opportunity to do something more.
     This is why I let God into this.  I do not want glory.  I do not want to feel smug sitting at a table signing books for people.  Instead, I want this to be used to tell some really cool stories, but also show how God works in people's lives.  I begin this journey with prayer, and I accept any prayers and good wishes that you wish to bestow on me and this project.  Most of all, pray that God works through it; for me, for those whom I encounter, and for those who read what comes forth.  It gets real, and I am so grateful that God is here with me in this reality.