writing

Ok, so here's the story so far. I have osteoarthritis and my fingers are very sore, my knuckles are swollen but I continue to write because that's what I want to do. Since I began my life with a typewriter keyboard, the kind that dominated the newsrooms of national newspapers, I tend to, er, pound the keyboards. Yes, even in these days of ultra sensitive Apple keyboards, I pound. And that's not good for the arthritis, either.
we all do illogical things. We wouldn't be human if we didn't. We wouldn't be Klingons, either. We just wouldn't be very interesting. So we smoke cigarettes and we drink alcohol. We take pleasure in a Big Mac or a Whopper and I still love a full, Irish breakfast. Bring it on.
I've been writing all my life but have always found excuses to avoid it when I could. Illogical, eh?
A teacher I had once told me I could be a writer and I believed him because, not only did I want to, but because I believed it before he told me. I got knocked back a few times later and never met a teacher like him again. So I went into journalism, almost by default. I was pursuing a career in teaching and academia but my heart was never in it. Journalism, I loved and enjoyed until the headlines began to write the story and facts became an inconvenience.
Twelve years ago I began to explore my potential as a writer by writing short stories. I always loved the short story format - the idea of jumping in and out of someone's life and circumstances, in and out of a place; a short visit. It was appealing. I began to write short stories but I rarely showed them to anyone. Then I sent a story to a new Irish magazine and the editor and publisher called me and said he'd like to publish it and he did and I was thrilled. It was better than a front page, lead story, exclusive!
Now I have a collection of 18 stories and I've put them together and plan to publish them, myself. I hope, someday, if you read this, you'll read my stories. Check it out at dermotthayes.com. The book is called Postcard from a Pigeon and Other Stories, published by Hannibalthehat Books©2012