Some dreams do come true

We all have a little Walter Mitty in us. Walter Mitty was the fictional character created by James Thurber who had a series of daydreams about achieving greatness. Whereas Mitty was dreaming about this stuff to escape what he considered a mundane existence, most of us dream (or at least imagine) doing something that might be considered out of reach. In high school or college, it might have been something as simply as getting the cute blond girl in the third row of your Algebra class to go on a date with you Saturday night.

Later, it might be something shooting 69 on the golf course. It might be getting that cabin up north you always wanted. The field is always wide-open for dreamers.

For me, it was always writing a book. I have been a fan of reading since I was kid poring over every Chip Hilton and Hardy Boys mystery I could find in St. Francis' library. How did these guys find the time to put such a project together? Did I have the patience (and the verbiage) to put a book together?

When I found myself gainfully unemployed a year and a half ago, I decided the time was right to take the plunge. I had an idea for a book that I thought might work. The thought was the easy part. Getting somebody to publish it ... to say nothing of writing the damn thing ... was the tough part.

After a couple of false starts, I found somebody who thought my idea was a good one. I got the contract and then had to really go to work. It's one thing to have an idea for a book. It's another altogether to execute it.

I wrote the first part of it and turned it over to a trusted friend for editing comments. The first reviews were, to be mild, unkind. After a few helpful hints about style and phraseology, I got on track and the copy started to flow better. By the end of the book, the editing comments were down to a few. (I worried this was because my editor was getting bored. She said that wasn't the case. She said I had found my voice.) The book went to the publisher, who made a few changes (none that I really quibbled with).

A year after I started, the project is now finished. Yesterday, it arrived at my house in finished condition. Thus it is that "162-0: The Greatest Wins In Twins History" is now a reality.

To many, it will be considered a light tome. The concept is the Minnesota Twins have a perfect season by via their best win in their history on April 11, May 16, July 4, etc. The games go back to 1961 and run through the end of last season. There are four World Series wins kicked in for good measure.

Okay, so it is now War and Peace. Tolstoy has his niche. Mine is simply in a different direction.

Triumph Books is putting the book out. As of tomorrow (March 17), it is available online at www.amazon.com.

It is exciting, humbling and a little frightening to actually think this idea, which was a concept a little more than a year ago, is done and in print. Little ol' me now has a small spot in the LIbrary of Congress (all books are registered there) with Hemingway, Updike and even Jesse Ventura. Move over, Clair Bee (who wrote the Chip Hilton books). You've got company.

Writing a book is one thing. Writing a successful book is another matter. I have modest hopes folks will find it entertaining enough that I can make a case to the publisher to write a second one.

That is next week's battle. For now, excuse me if I take a second to enjoy (and marvel) at this one.