Strangely appropriate we should have talked about identity so much this semester, and I've been struggling with my own blogging identity so much. As some of you know, I also keep a blog called Gothic Times (changing the name soon) which is supposed to be somewhat of a chronicle of my personal exploits as a writer. I'm going to keep doing that blog, but at the time I started it, I declared that I would do just academic blogging here on "Literary Pursuits" and do my personal-type blogging on "Gothic Times". I've started to doubt that choice.
You might have noticed that I haven't blogged on "Gothic Times" in a few weeks. That's simply because it's been hard to get time to keep it up. Once the semester gets revved up, I do little outside of grading essays, preparing lectures, meeting with students, answering hundreds (sometimes thousands) of e-mails from students, and dealing with all the details associated with teaching at a university. Thus, I do very little writing, if any. Thus, there was really not much to report on "Gothic Times". That's about to change, of course, as I slip into my writer's garb for the next four and a half months and become author instead of professor. In many ways, as much as I truly love teaching, writing is my first love. But then, it's reached a point where it's hard to tell which one is the real me. I think, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the truth is that I am not truly one, but truly two. And so I keep both blogs going.
But I've always felt more comfortable writing about the world, my perspective, about my life during the summer months, the wacky and thoughtful, the funny and serious on THIS blog--"Literary Pursuits". This blog was begun about two years ago, I believe, and there are somewhere around 19,000 hits on it, which means somebody's listening. It's not just students, of course. Some are former students of mine, and some are just people from all over who are interested, though I do believe it's mostly students and former students. Many of you have told me you recommend this blog to people you know (writers, students, and so on), so I'm aware of my audience, and that's helpful.
So I've decided to keep posting here over the summer months. I'll still blog about the writing process as it relates to my upcoming short story collection, Moonlight Sketches, over on "Gothic Times". Anything related to my own writing, news of publications, and that sort of thing, that's where I'll be talking about them. I'll do my best even to talk about writing generally in a way that will possibly provide food for thought for the starving writers out there who simply want a place to go for that kind of thing, from someone you know. I'll also be continuing to work on my three novels: Finton Moon (90% finished), Darwin Day (99% finished), and Two Sisters (75% finished). If there's time, I have another project I need to finish by summer's end. I'll be talking about all of that over on "Gothic Times".
Here, I'll just be talking about me and stuff that interests me that's in the news. I'll be musing about stuff I see in my running throughout the city (I run a few miles several times a week in the summer), my planned road trips, maybe posting some pictures along the way. I'll certainly be ranting about stuff that makes me made or amuses me in some way, and talking about the kinds of things that I find fascinating and beautiful. So if you're interested in reading more, I'll be on here occasionally throughout the summer. I'd be happy if you'd join me and even drop a comment now and then (the less anonymous the better).
With that in mind, would you please take a couple of minutes to do the survey I'll be posting in the top right corner of this blog in a little while. It's about the course (English 1101) and about the usefulness of "Literary Pursuits".
Thanks.
I'll be posting more soon to get your primed for the final exam as best I can. There's not much more to say, but, as always, I'll find some words for you.
Peace out.
Gerard
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