Are you broad enough to write a book?

 I recently stumbled upon a quote from Kurt Vonnegut. While he was a student working on an archaeological dig, one of the professors asked him the usual "get to know your teenager questions" about school activities, sports, and classes. Vonnegut responded that he'd done many things but hadn't mastered any of them. The professor's response blew him away. 

"I don't think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you've had all these wonderful experiences with different skills and that's what makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them."

Vonnegut's response to that comment was priceless. "And that honestly changed my life. Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn't been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I'd been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you thought you could win at them."

That quote made me reflect on my own life. When working in industry, I had a boss who said my value to the organization was, "having knowledge a mile wide and an inch deep." I didn't know the answer to every (or any) question but I knew where to look for the answer.

As my 31st book is about to be published, I think about that breadth of knowledge. My education and life experience make me a nerd who is interested in thousands of things. I have ideas bouncing around my brain all the time. I know where to look, and who to ask, for answers. (I also know editors and proofreaders who I did NOT consult when drafting this blog.)

Over my lifetime, I've amassed thousands of bits of trivial information. My curiosity and breadth of experience, coupled with a legion of location and technical experts, lead me to different plots and settings. "Whistling Fireman" is a great example of that combination. I knew enough to ask questions about arson, hockey, booya recipes, pumpkin cannons, and alpaca poop bingo to write what I hope is an entertaining cozy mystery. Yep, all those things are touched on in this book.

So, when I ask if you're broad enough to write a book, I'm inquiring about your life experiences, not your girth.

While you're waiting for the release of "Whistling Fireman", I suggest that you catch up on my earlier Whistling Pines cozy mysteries at https://bookswelove.net/hovey-dean/.