Everyone who has ever overcome shyness knows that it takes work.  For me, that work began in earnest when I started the MFA program at Whidbey. I promised myself that I would volunteer for everything. I would speak up in class, talk to everyone, and help with anything I could reasonably do without shorting my classwork.  I knew I was only going to be in this program for two years, and I wanted to get everything out of it that I possibly could.

It occurred to me that this Cirque reading is part of that promise.  My choice is between spending a last comfortable evening among friends before the residency ends the next day, or driving an hour each way to participate in a huge public event, primarily among strangers.

Assuming that my writing career goes even moderately well, I will be expected to read under similar circumstances* on an irregular basis.  This is a chance to cut my teeth on such a reading, with the added benefit that I’ll know at least two of the other readers.

In short, I owe it to myself to attend.  I’m going.

So, for those of you in the Seattle area, I’ll be part of a large reading at the ACT on August 13^th at 8 p.m.  For those concerned about time, it should run about an hour.

*though rarely in so big a venue

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