The Literary Life

From the staff of BookSwim.com

Day: Monday, October 19th, 2009

To Publish Or Not To Publish (A marriage proposal)

Hello readers and writers.  My name is Nick Ruffilo and I am the CIO/CTO of BookSwim.com (this great website).  I come to you to decide the fate of some very personal details of my life.

My life has been very much career- and education- focused, although I’ve always thought myself a romantic and a writer.  And now here is where I am going to ask for your advice.  I’ve toyed with being a writer many times in the past, and have written a few short stories, but none of which I was very proud.  About 2 years ago, I completed a book of which I was extremely proud.  The book was my proposal to my now-wife.  My wife is an avid reader and has a book with her at all times (in fact, her purses are filled with books, often 3 or more each).  While the courtship of my relationship may not be epic or movie-worthy, it was a bit more eventful than your average “boy meets girl” adventure.  In fact, I chased her for nearly 7 years while she kept rejecting me.  But, I loved her so deeply that I never let her rejections drive me away and I kept her close until she finally gave me a chance…

The book is about the journey from the first moment we met until the moment where she first gave me a chance.  Throughout the 7 years, there were many close-calls with my wife and me, and I share my emotions during the whole journey.  Near the end of my chase, I actually employed a few of my friends to help me design the greatest seduction.  The book talks about the planning of this conquest as well as the follow through and its many blunders.  It is a semi-poetic musing of my emotional journey and never-dying love.

So to all you readers and writers – I ask you – should I publish my proposal book to the world?

I will be reading every response, so please, post your comments as I am torn.  There are quite a few personal and intimate details of my life, yet there is a sense that allowing others to see that side of me may be good.  Also – as extra incentive to comment – if I do end up publishing, I will give a free copy away to a random commenter.

Thank you all for reading, and I do hope you comment and cast your vote.

13 Comments by Nick on October 19, 2009
filed in Nick's Notebook, The Literary Life

An Introduction to Gina Holmes of Novel Journey

Novel Journey began in 2004 as the brainchild of aspiring novelist, Gina Holmes. It started as “First Novel Journey” and was to chronicle her fabulously interesting and quick path to the publication of her debut novel.

When she started tracking her hits, she realized that maybe her journey wasn’t as interesting to other aspiring writers as she had thought. She jokes that she had 3 readers back then and one of them was her.

Five years later and a name change later, Novel Journey has morphed into one of the most influential writing websites of its kind. Last year it took the honor of being named one of Writer’s Digest’s best websites for writers.

The site is followed by novelists, readers and industry professionals and has featured interviews with everyone from Dean Koontz to Nicholas Sparks. The Novel Journey team is made up of journalists, writers, commentators and even a devotional writer.

If you’re a writer, or aspiring writer, this site features excellent information and networking opportunities. If you are simply a lover of good books, you’ll discover as many new authors as you’ve got time to read—Gina Holmes being the newest of this group. After ten years of rejection and over five years of promoting other authors, Ms. Holmes will debut with Crossing Oceans, releasing with Tyndale House in May, 2010. The book is already getting rave early reviews and is being called a cross between Jodi Piccoult and Nicholas Sparks but written from a Biblical worldview.

Selected posts from Novel Journey will be syndicated and available on The Literary life in the future – giving everyone something to look forward to.

No Comments by Nick on October 19, 2009
filed in Book Reviewers, The Literary Life