Beloved reader,
Today’s newsletter is not a story with a moral, nor is it a lesson, nor is it some explanation about some aspect of the spiritualigious life.
Today’s newsletter is a simple hello.
A humble letter. From me to you. About me and my book.
Because of technological advances, I’ve fallen out the need (and therefore habit) of writing letters.
With the exception writing letters to James,
my buddhist brother who is in currently in the monastery of Pelican Bay State Prison, I don’t write letters to anyone.
Ol’-fashioned letters had a less-formal, less-transactional, and slower speed of communication compared with the social and electronic media I mostly use.
So, if this is a letter, I can relax a moment.
Letters often ramble, a bit, after all.
Like this.
I have a thing I want to talk about, but first let me thank you for reading my words.
Not just today’s but any number of the 40 out of 52 newsletters that I send in a year.
My cousin Ken taught me a lot about writing. He said, “People only have so much time. So if you are going to ask them to spend time reading, make certain what you are writing is worthwhile.”
I’m honored you think what I write is worthwhile.
So, now, let me get real and raw. Letter-worthy honest.
Last month, I lost my book agent. Which is like I’ve been playing “Chutes and Ladders” and I’ve just moved down quite far, quite quickly.
I thought I had only a few spaces to go.
Ooops.
Rabbi Brian’s Highly Unorthodox Gospel, after three years of work, is 65K words, the length of a full-length novel, and amazing.
It could use another round of edits, but it’s brilliant.
You can get a sense of the book from the comments given by beta-readers.
- Jordan H. (Portland, OR) I found myself nodding along, smiling and chuckling, underlining sections, and going back to re-read. It’s a mix of autobiography, theological truth-telling, and a raucous, generous, passionate call for us to embrace love.
- Denise R (Corbett, OR) This book is a wild ride to un-learn all the broken things about religion and to re-learn the most important thing about life…love.
- Jennifer W. (NYC) rB forcefully contradicts untruths and lies that have been perpetrated on the reader (and himself), replacing them with truths of being beloved. He offers practical paths toward a life more filled with lovingkindness. Achieved through memorable story, adult learning theory, and drawing Saurs.
- Russ A. (Berlin, Germany) Practical, no-nonsense teachings uplift. Brian’s wacky sense of humor and courage to face head-on ANY and EVERY belief, no matter how “sacred”, inspired me change the way I see the world. Like taking a shower and washing away old layers of guilt and shame.
So, I’m a bit bummed as I fill out proposals to literary agents.
Keep me in your good thoughts as I continue to hunt for the right agent and publisher.
Thanks for being an ear.
With love,
