\u201cI avoid\u00aded writ\u00aders very care\u00adful\u00adly because they can per\u00adpet\u00adu\u00adate trou\u00adble as no one else can,\u201d wrote F. Scott Fitzger\u00adald. In this humor\u00adous mem\u00adoir, nov\u00adel\u00adist Chris Orcutt shows how true this is.<\/p>\n
Debunk\u00ading the myths, Orcutt reveals that the writ\u00ading life is real\u00adly one of crush\u00ading soli\u00adtude, chron\u00adic dis\u00adsat\u00adis\u00adfac\u00adtion, mood swings and self-doubt, and where suc\u00adcess\u00ades, when they come, are like din\u00ader mints\u2013sweet, but short-lived. And every\u00adday life is equal\u00adly stress\u00adful, with cal\u00adlous urol\u00ado\u00adgists, cur\u00admud\u00adgeon\u00adly painters, flir\u00adta\u00adtious recep\u00adtion\u00adists, per\u00adson\u00adal feuds and pet\u00adty thefts. For the writer, all of this leads to one thing\u2013perpetual trou\u00adble.<\/p>\n