Actually, what I'm planning to do is slowly writing the elk guiding experiences, getting it really right. Then, I'll probably send it to Johnny Barsness. I'm also planning on sending him copies of my journal from the 1978 sheep hunt in the Yukon, with a full set of photos, and my two African safari journals, also plus full photo backup.
The Yukon journal and the two African ones are HUGE and there is a wealth of information in them. Those who have read my [i]Rome & Assisi Journal]/i] would find each of these journals to be much larger ... and they are all about hunting, game reactions, bullet performance, important in-the-field stuff. And they, to some degree, are of "period" interest, because they all happened a while ago ... in a hunting environment that will never be again.
Johnny can then use the experiences as he wishes, or not; he can give credit to me, or not. This is totally his call, it will be completely my gift, both to him and to all of my fellow hunters. Think of it as Steve's Last Legacy.
The problem is I took the easy way and signed on early in my career to write about subjects that were not in the center of my experience and interest. And the magazine I gave twelve years of my life to was read by very few folks. I did not become a big game household name.
If John writes about the my field experiences, either giving credit to me or not, at least folks will read about them. John IS a big game household name.
Anyway, that's what I'm planning on doing, given time.
I haven't discussed this with John, but I'm sure that he would agree.
It's kind of amazing. At this time, I'm STILL sorely-wounded and totallly pissed at the writing trade and firearms industry. Even so, at least every two weeks I receive an offer from magazines that I only dreamed about writing for ten years ago.
Karen is still amazed and she often asks, "Jeez Steve, don't you REALLY want to write for this great big game hunting magazine." My response is always, "Nope, they had their chance, they had a huge chance and the just pissed it off. Screw 'em." She just shakes her head.
Life is so very, very strange.
Your friend Steve
"God Loves Each Of Us As If There Were Only One Of Us" Saint Augustine of Hippo - AD 397
