The War To End All Wars

4/6/2012

Today was not an ordinary day in my life. I sent my manuscript out to be reviewed. Talking about putting yourself on the line. After four years it came down to transforming the book's pages into digital matter and sending it out into cyberspace to two individuals I've never met.

Now I wait for the verdict! My fate lies in the hands of two qualified writers. Being new to writing novels, this undertaking has been a real eyeopener. I have a whole new respect for those that can sit down in front of their laptop and create a captivating story and shuffle interesting characters in and out of chapters.

During my writing internship there were moments where I questioned the reasons for writing this book. Lord knows there is little to no chance for an unknown author to turn a profit. On a dollar per hour basis, a book is so far into negative values, that it would take a best seller to see anything close to a positive return. Perhaps the answer to "why" is the same reason people climb mountains, or why one stops using a hammer to breaking the bones in one's hand, it feels good when you stop.

For me the reason is the feeling of accomplishment.I had a story to tell to the world, and even if just one person reads it, and enjoys it, I've made an impact on someone's life. Also it is a tribute to my grandfather and a gift to existing and future generations of Coxens.

The future for the original journal is uncertain. I'm currently the caretaker and I question to whom I should entrust  the safe keeping of this historical family treasure. I ponder this dilemma because for more than fifty years the journal's existence was unknown except to a couple of family members. If I fail to transfer it, then it could become entrapped within a box containing my own documents and lost for another fifty years,or worse. Unknowingly it could find its way to a landfill, tossed away along with meaningless personal items.

Really the journal does not belong to me, it is owned by the family as a whole, but it can't be divided. So do I donate it to a museum where family members can access it? This is one solution, however to do so will transfer ownership away from the family. Besides, which museum would I select? Should it be one in the US, or in the UK?

So far no one within the family has expressed an interest in challenging the diary's  physical location. If this happens, and I give it up, its destination and ultimate future would be beyond my control. I will have to carefully determine Its ultimate resting place.