Apr 10, 20232 min read

To Serve the Creatives

Sometimes, it's best to serve other authors in their time of need.

Title card with cover image for "Thinking Inside My Box."

There's a fallacy connected to the creative world. Basically, it says that we're cutthroats out for individual glory, and damn other creatives that get in our way. Many of us want to make a name for ourselves. However, unlike the characters we create, we try to achieve our goals with a minimum of murder and mayhem.

In reality, creatives root for each other. We want to see our fellow imagination engineers do good. Yes, we have those flashes of occasional jealously. Still, we try to tamp them down and cheer on the others.

Such is the case with Missy Hall.

The Creativeness of Missy Hall

A mother, grandmother, comedian, author, and performer -- not in that particular order -- Missy is the Queen of Happy. She's also the Queen of Social Media, posting items about her comedy shows, grandson, and the fact her and pants have a dicey relationship.

In 2014, Missy was kind enough to join me in a publishing venture called Thinking Inside My Box. It's a book filled with humorous essays on the parenting experience. Boy, did we have a lot to talk about at that time. Subjects range from constructing Christmas toys to sand in your naughty places.

There were times I considered releasing a new edition of the book. However, as creatives like to do, I got distracted by videos of baby dinosaurs and organizing my lint collection.

The B***h of Breast Cancer

In early 2023, Missy announced she had breast cancer. Fortunately, the tumor was caught early enough that it didn't spread to her lymph nodes. Still, a long struggle of treatment and recovery is ahead of her. Unfortunately, some of that requires extra funds.

So, the creative community has eagerly assisted through comedy shows, swag, and continued positive thoughts. Combined, these help Missy through the times when she doesn't feel like being the Queen of Happy.

The battle against the b***h of breast cancer also inspired me to get off my lint-collecting butt and produce a second edition of Thinking Inside My Box. It's now available for your extreme reading pleasure on Amazon, Apple, and Kobo. Among the treats you get in the second edition are a new cover, new preface, and a new essay about the joys of driving your kids ... everywhere.

What Did We Learn Today, Rich?

Cancer sucks.

To moisten your pursed lips to make a high-pitched sound, here are a few samples of what Thinking Inside My Box offers. If these don't entice you to make a purchase, then nothing short of a bop on the head will help.