Chris Orcutt

At 1:38 a.m. today, I turned 56 years old.

For over ten years, or 3,697 days to be exact, I’ve been working on a novel about teens in the 1980s.

Dear Reader, Early readers and reviewers have raved about Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome (to be published January 20, 2026), but a recent review from a Gen Z reviewer made it clear there’s a swath of young people out there who aren’t going to get it.

Greetings, Dear Reader.

A month ago, I finished the third draft of what I’m calling my “teen epic.”

About five months ago, I bought a countdown clock that sits directly below my computer monitor, and for 157 days it’s been ticking down.

My friend Jason Scott and I have been friends since 5th grade–that’s over 40 years–and during that time Jason has continually introduced me to, and shared with me, the latest in computer technology.

A couple weeks ago, I finished the second draft of the third episode (or volume) of the epic-length novel I’ve been writing for seven years.

Chris Orcutt enters the seventh year of work on his epic novel.

Last weekend, I attended a surprise party for my younger sister’s 50th birthday.

Lately, more than ever, I’ve been thinking about a quote by the late, great playwright Sam Shepard: “Aloneness is a condition of writing.

This morning, to celebrate my birthday and the fact that I’m probably in the best shape of my life since I was 17, I went cross-country skiing alone at a local state park (James Baird).