March 6, 2019, or, The First Publication of a Short Story

Perhaps the most wonderful occurrence of my writing career so far: a short story of mine has been featured on the online art magazine, The Revenant Quarterly.  It’s been a long time getting to this point. - close to four in a half years.  Three in writing it, rather mustering up the courage to write it, and about a year and a half of sitting on the finished piece, mulling over the prospect sharing it with others.  I’ve always been one from whom another would have to pry the work out of.  A tedious process of wooing, coaxing, and coddling.  Yet at some point in the midst of it all, it occurred to me that no one is beholden to coddling a frail spirit.  If an interest is there for another to see the work, and the work is done, and done as a result of an entire being’s concerted efforts to express no more than  a truth of the soul, then the work can be none other than good, and what is good must needs be shared.  Just as magnanimously as it was to ask to experience the work, I ought just as magnanimously share it:

With that said, allow me to present to you Revised Draft, a short story by J. Liu.  I am so honored that this piece has been included in The Revenant, and that it’s sharing the space with works of other artists I so deeply respect.  

Thank you, All, The Muses, my teachers, my family, my friends, my love.  May you all rest assured that your love has not been wasted on my wayward moods, for this work, and with good fortune more works to come, are the fruits I offer in return.  My only hope is that they will ever match the greatness of gifts I was so blessed to have been given first.