I have some extremely exciting, if somewhat bittersweet, news.
I’ve given notice at my day job.
Between the book (which has been doing really well — huge thanks to everyone who’s bought a copy!), the blog, AlterNet, Free Inquiry, the public speaking gigs, donations, and assorted other bits and pieces of freelance income, I am now making enough money that I no longer have to have a day job. My last day there is June 15. After that date, I will be a full-time freelance writer and speaker.
The bittersweet part is that I’m actually quite fond of Last Gasp. I love working with my co-workers — a bunch of hippies, anarchists, punks, freaks, and just really smart, interesting people, all of whom really love books. And the company has a seriously excellent pedigree and history. Last Gasp started in 1970 as one of the earliest publishers of underground comix: they were one of the first publishers of Robert Crumb, they’re the publishers of the legendary Zap and Weirdo comix, and they continue today in the fine tradition of disseminating weird, underground, non-traditional books and comix and art (especially in the lowbrow art world). I’m proud to have been part of the company, and I’m going to miss them.
The awesome part is that, after June 15, I GET TO BE A FULL-TIME FREELANCE WRITER AND SPEAKER.
I will no longer have to stop in the middle of a productive writing day and go do the day job. I’ll be free to schedule my speaking gigs based on whatever works for me and Ingrid. I’ll have more time for reading, for networking, for keeping up with news, for promotion and publicity, for returning emails, for hustling up more writing gigs.
And very importantly, more importantly than anything, I will have more time for writing. And writing, and writing, and writing.
I have been working towards this for decades. For most of my adult life, really. I have been working hard at this, and making it close to my top priority, for a decade. I almost can’t believe that it’s really here.
The next few weeks will probably be a bit challenging. Paradoxically, I may have to put in a bit more time at the day job, tying up loose ends and training my replacement. But after that, I’m on my own.
I am so happy, I can barely speak. Just wanted to let y’all know, and to thank you. The fact that people want to read my writing, and have been following it and sharing it and otherwise supporting it, is the reason I can keep doing it. Writing ideas that other people want to read… this is my life’s work, the meaning of my life. I feel incredibly lucky that I can now do it full-time. Thanks to everyone who helped make that happen.