I’m now a third of the way through Odyssey, and I’ve learned more about the bones of writing in the last two weeks than in the forty years prior.  It’s amazing.  But I’m not here now to talk about that.

Instead, I would like to invite you all to my very first public reading.

This coming Saturday, June 25th 2016, from 3:00-4:30pm at the Barnes and Noble in Nashua, NH, this year’s Odyssey students (that’s me and my 14 newest bestest friends) will be giving readings of some original flash fiction (<1,000 word) pieces.

If you are in the area, please come by, stay and listen, buy some books, and feel free to come say ‘hi’ after it’s over.

I’d like to say I’m not nervous.  You can’t be a scientist for 20 years without getting a lot of experience with public speaking.  And once you’ve given a thesis defense, there isn’t much about getting up and talking that’s intimidating.

But.

But this isn’t presenting my science, where the things I am saying are observed fact, and logical extrapolations from those observations.  Where what I am saying is objective.  This is my fiction.  It’s my imagination, my heart and soul, the most subjective and personal thing I can share.

It’s the difference between speaking in public, and speaking in public naked. (Metaphorical nakedness, people.  There will be no nudity in this Barnes & Noble)

It’s just an added bonus that it’s flash fiction, a format I don’t have much practice with.

All of that said, I am actually really flipping excited about this.  I kinda can’t wait.  And I hope I’ll see some of you there.

Here I Go,

Matt