How did you start writing?

With fat crayons handed out by my first grade teacher.  She was patient both years I took her class.

I actually wrote for several Northern California newspapers long ago when I was a municipal recycling coordinator.  I wrote a column entitled Garbage Talk and told stories about weird things dumped in the landfill.  Like when a trailer load of laundry detergent was disposed…or rather, “the day the Tide came in at the landfill.”

I eventually changed jobs, careers, cities, etc., and fell away from writing.

I resurrected the writing bug last year when I wrote monthly columns for the Chico Enterprise-Record.  My initial thought was to write environmental articles.  But that was too much like work.  The editor advised that I write from personal experience and to be real.  That led me into strange but true territory.  Like the time I had a zit attack a day before a photo shoot and wore my daughter’s make-up to hide it.  Or buying my wife pantyhose (fellas, NEVER do this.  Maybe for your mate but not mine, please.  I’m in enough trouble.).  Or the time my cat brought a live gopher inside the house.

Funny things happen daily.  It’s a matter of noticing them and being able to tell a story.

Thanks for asking!

-Eric aka Etc.Guy