Wow, I may have to push PZ out of my “favorite biologist” spot. After all, PZ never wrote a fawning review of my book like Carlo Artieiri did on his blog, Musings of a Mad Biologist (caution: contains one naughty word, but I hope people agree with his sentiment).
Actually, it’s weird. When I set about writing this site, I had no plans to write a book. But after a few years I started thinking about it, and decided to write magazine articles first to get my name out there and work at being a writer. Then I wrote the book, and it’s sold reasonably well. But with the site, the articles, and even the book, it never occurred to me that it would be a source of inspiration for others. That’s probably true for most books; if you set out to write an inspirational book you wind up writing some pablum that eventually gets plugged by Oprah. I wouldn’t mind an Oprah plug, but I would be in truly awful company (anyone who makes a Dr. Phil joke in the comments will have their IP banned).
So it amazes me when people get so much out of the book. It started small, but you never know where it’s going to go. And if you are reading this and wondering if there is a book in you, my advice is: start writing. I am the laziest guy alive (ask anyone who knows me– anyone) and I wrote one. You can too.
Thanks Carlo!
Note: While poking around del.icio.us about astronomy, I saw someone else who links to my site. They were saying something nice too, but the irony was too, well, delicious not to mention here. The emphasis is mine.
I always hate people misquoting stuff or talking bad science, probably because I find myself doing that exactly. Phil Blait corrects many popular, but incorrect astronomy beliefs.
