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This is my ninth go at editing a collection of Manion stories. How did I get here? That’s easy to answer: he made me laugh.
I downloaded Ball Washer several years ago and found myself actually laughing out loud - which, despite the ubiquitous text acronym LOL, is pretty rare. Life is hard; laughter is a gift. On a whim, I sent the author a message of appreciation and somehow, here we are.
On the face of it, we’re very different. He’s an Atheist; I’m a Christian. He’s a misogynist; I’m a Bohemian. He’s a Mondrian portrait; I’m a Picasso still-life. But we’re both writers. Our primary modes of exploration are through ideas and words. In truth, misogyny and bohemianism are mere cloaks we wear and are easily set aside.
Manion knows his writing is not for the masses. He’s turned down opportunities to dial down offensive content to be published on a larger scale. That’s partly why I’m a fan. I may not agree with or even like some of his stories, but I firmly believe in free speech and not in the politically correct hole we find our culture drowning in.
That’s not to say his manuscripts aren’t a mess- they are. I’m just hoping I polish them enough so you can read his wit and not notice his utter lack of understanding of punctuation rules.
Manion has stated he believes a goal of creating is to be a catalyst for others. That is true in my case; though my attempts at storytelling have been awful, I’ve been encouraged to find my voice, which I have as a poet. Which he supports but mocks incessantly.
I hope you enjoy this book and maybe find yourself open to making something to share: a story, a painting, a sweater, a cake. And laugh a little.
- Andira