— Mark Paxson
I was thinking about this today and came up with a bit of a different response to this question. Sure, I have the normal dreams. A bestseller. A whirlwind book tour. Seeing one of my stories on the big screen. I mean, seriously, I rarely go to the theater anymore, but when I do, there invariably comes a moment when I visualize one of my stories up there. And I kind of like that idea.
But today, a completely different idea came to mind. When I was a kid, I re-read a lot of books. As an adult, however, I don’t re-read books that much. I’ve re-read Everything Matters by Ron Currie, Jr., a vew times. I’ve read Racing In the Rain by Garth Stein a couple of times. I’ve read one of Wally Lamb’s books two or three times. I’ve read Cormac McCarthy’s The Road several times.
I’ve gone back and read some of my early favorites. Like Man O’ War, a book I read repeatedly as a child. It’s about the greatest racehorse that ever stepped out on the track. I went back and read it a few years ago. I re-read Dune recently because of the remake of the movie. I don’t know, though, that I’ll ever re-read Lord of the Rings again. I have re-read some of Stephen King’s books over the years — The Shining in particular.
For the most part now I don’t go back and re-read a book. It’s steady movement forward, trying to find the next diamond in the rough. The next book that will make me cry. The next one that makes want to never stop turning the pages.
And that’s my dream. For one of my books to be the type of story that readers want to re-visit over the years. Not just a one and done story, but something that sticks with them. That makes them feel something that they wouldn’t mind repeating every now and then.
What’s your dream?
Writers Supporting Writers 
Well… for what it’s worth, I’ve read “Killing Berthold Gambrel” twice already. It makes me laugh even on re-reading. I think I’ve also read “The Watcher” at least twice, maybe three times, and it definitely sticks with me.
As for my dream… I think that’s going to have to be a post in itself. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well … I still giggle every time I tell somebody a reviewer compared me to a combination of Steinbeck and The Piano Man.
As for those two stories. That helps!
Maybe I’ll read The Watcher when I do another podcast episode.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sounds like a good idea, Berthold. I’ll give the question some thought and write a post with my answers here!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I already did The Watcher on my podcast!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My current dream is a lot like yours, Mark, but it was different when I started writing. I think I’ll write a post about that soon.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I’ll look foward to reading your post, Audrey.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’d better get busy and write it! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
HI Mark, I have always said you need to chose between longer term fame and a living when it comes to books writing. If you go with the formula and write popular formats like romance, you can make a living, maybe not a great one, but at least an income. If you want to be famous, you have to just keep going with controversial subjects and wait for death and the subsequent discovery of brilliance.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yeah … I generally write whatever story is in my head that appeals to me. I’ve never gone down either path you’ve described. Which may be the problem. 😉
LikeLike