That led me to Hatrack, looking for a contact e-mail for OSC.

I never found it - but I did find you lot.

I only planned to stay a couple of days and then leave with goodwill - but there was a sense of professionalism here that kept me coming back, even to the extent of salvaging the link from the recycle bin.

I've since posted about my work and learned one of the most important lessons of all.

I arrived thinking I was an *author*. Now I know I am still an apprentice.

I am driven by a sense of destiny. My ego is restricted to that one goal. I will be published one day.

People have been kind enough to read something of my epic, and have not been afraid to be critical. I cannot state how much I value this. I don't care for ego-stroking - what I need is all I want.

Folks here have told me straight that what I need to do is rewrite my epic with a very sharp pen before submitting. I'd been slowly approaching the same conclusion, but it was clearly pointed out, justified, and sometimes even explicitely stated so and in what form.

For that all have my very gracious thanks.

This is a good place to be. I'm sincerely glad to be here.

Brian