I have some extremely exciting, if somewhat bittersweet, news.
I’ve given notice at my day job.
Between the book (which has been doing really well — huge thanks to everyone who’s bought a copy!), the blog, AlterNet, Free Inquiry, the public speaking gigs, donations, and assorted other bits and pieces of freelance income, I am now making enough money that I no longer have to have a day job. My last day there is June 15. After that date, I will be a full-time freelance writer and speaker.
The bittersweet part is that I’m actually quite fond of Last Gasp. I love working with my co-workers — a bunch of hippies, anarchists, punks, freaks, and just really smart, interesting people, all of whom really love books. And the company has a seriously excellent pedigree and history. Last Gasp started in 1970 as one of the earliest publishers of underground comix: they were one of the first publishers of Robert Crumb, they’re the publishers of the legendary Zap and Weirdo comix, and they continue today in the fine tradition of disseminating weird, underground, non-traditional books and comix and art (especially in the lowbrow art world). I’m proud to have been part of the company, and I’m going to miss them.
The awesome part is that, after June 15, I GET TO BE A FULL-TIME FREELANCE WRITER AND SPEAKER.
I will no longer have to stop in the middle of a productive writing day and go do the day job. I’ll be free to schedule my speaking gigs based on whatever works for me and Ingrid. I’ll have more time for reading, for networking, for keeping up with news, for promotion and publicity, for returning emails, for hustling up more writing gigs.
And very importantly, more importantly than anything, I will have more time for writing. And writing, and writing, and writing.
I have been working towards this for decades. For most of my adult life, really. I have been working hard at this, and making it close to my top priority, for a decade. I almost can’t believe that it’s really here.
The next few weeks will probably be a bit challenging. Paradoxically, I may have to put in a bit more time at the day job, tying up loose ends and training my replacement. But after that, I’m on my own.
I am so happy, I can barely speak. Just wanted to let y’all know, and to thank you. The fact that people want to read my writing, and have been following it and sharing it and otherwise supporting it, is the reason I can keep doing it. Writing ideas that other people want to read… this is my life’s work, the meaning of my life. I feel incredibly lucky that I can now do it full-time. Thanks to everyone who helped make that happen.
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neXus
May 3, 2012 at 6:53 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congrats on landing your dream job! I hope this means we’ll get to read more books from you in the future.
Kylie Sturgess
May 3, 2012 at 6:56 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations, sorry I’m late to hear the news – enjoy the break!
TV200
May 3, 2012 at 7:16 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations. You have earned it.
Adam
May 3, 2012 at 7:22 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations, Greta!
Jason
May 3, 2012 at 7:25 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations Gretta! Good news for the atheist movement!
Danny Mason Keener
May 3, 2012 at 7:31 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Ah…so there is money in the atheism gig! I figured that was what a big part of this hoopla was about.
george.w
May 3, 2012 at 8:27 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations! I hope you can come to Illinois State University sometime. We have a speaker series at the auditorium near where my wife and I live. We would love to see you there!
Didaktylos
May 3, 2012 at 8:33 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Good luck !!
RW Ahrens
May 3, 2012 at 8:45 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
WooHoo! I just love it when someone gets to do their dream thing! I shall vicariously enjoy your triumph!
Congratulations, well done.
Andrew Hall
May 3, 2012 at 8:54 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
1) Congrats! Not many people are able to grasp the brass ring.
2) Perhaps you could write about (on the blog) about how much time and effort you have put into becoming a professional atheist. Many people don’t understand that becoming an overnight success is often times a ten year journey.
cognitive dissident
May 3, 2012 at 8:59 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
CONGRATULATIONS!
It’s a wonderful thing when someone as talented as yourself can spend more time doing what she loves to do! (Since you’ll be writing more, the rest of us will have to free up more reading time…)
One question: What does this mean for the fate of the third volume of Erotic Comics?
Steve Caldwell
May 3, 2012 at 9:00 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Conga-rats!!
Rawnaeris
May 3, 2012 at 9:39 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congrats, Greta!!
Stefan
May 3, 2012 at 9:44 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
And Oops – guess I haven’t been paying attention – didn’t realize LastGasp.com was NSFW…
agodlessstrumpet
May 3, 2012 at 9:45 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
WOOT! Congratz! Keep up the good work
Stephen Frug
May 3, 2012 at 10:23 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congrats, Greta!!
t2tb
May 3, 2012 at 10:30 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
WE LOVE YOU, TOO!
KG
May 3, 2012 at 10:45 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations! I’m soon to do something rather similar, so I have some idea how you feel.
carlie
May 3, 2012 at 11:30 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!!!!!!
Kaoru Negisa
May 3, 2012 at 11:33 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That’s absolutely wonderful! Congratulations. Please accept, though you are under no obligation to do so, these *awkward internet stranger hugs of celebration, safely given in text from a distance*.
niftyatheist
May 3, 2012 at 11:49 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Greta, congratulations!! I love this news! More writing from you will be a good thing in the world!
trdev
May 3, 2012 at 11:53 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m so excited for you! I got a copy of your book as soon as it came out and fell in love with your ideas. You’ve opened my eyes a little more (thanks for that) and the eloquence with which you speak and write is awe-inspiring. I’ve been telling everyone to read it. If you want to understand an Atheist, this is the book to read. I found myself regularly saying “YES!” after reading an idea you pose in the book. You’re spot on as far as I’m concerned. Thank you so much!
As to your life change, I couldn’t be happier for you! It’s wonderful to see someone work so hard to achieve a goal and be there when they cross they “break the tape”. Congratulations! You deserve it! I’m sure Ingrid is quite pleased as well!
fester60613
May 3, 2012 at 11:59 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
Flimsyman
May 3, 2012 at 12:06 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Aww, shucks, we only do it because we atheists want a better world, which happens to be one in which there is as much time as possible for Greta Christina to write and speak.
Alyson Miers
May 3, 2012 at 12:22 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I am full of congratulations and envy.
F
May 3, 2012 at 12:25 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Oooh well awesome then. I hope your freelance career is as good to you as working for Last Gasp. Best wishes to you both!
Sean
May 3, 2012 at 12:31 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congrats Greta! This is wonderful. (Last Gasp rocks too!) I’m so happy for you!
annesauer
May 3, 2012 at 12:36 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations, Greta!
Ani Sharmin
May 3, 2012 at 1:13 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations, Greta! It’s great to hear that you’ve accomplished a goal you’ve had for a long time.
Holms
May 3, 2012 at 1:15 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
All the best, Greta!
…But I am curious on one extremely finicky point: is there a particular reason you use ‘comix’ instead of ‘comics’?
Magness
May 3, 2012 at 1:22 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Lovely, Lovely, Lovely.
Neeroc
May 3, 2012 at 1:57 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Wonderful news! Congratulations.
Mr. Lynne
May 3, 2012 at 3:18 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations. On a side note, I’d consider it a great personal favor if you could use the wisdom you’ve gained in this achievement toward the goal of getting Matt Dillahunty into a similar situation. Like you, he’s way to effective for our side to be hamstrung with a day job.
Azkyroth, Former Growing Toaster Oven
May 3, 2012 at 3:46 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Moar cooking posts plz.
Jack Rawlinson
May 3, 2012 at 3:51 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Many congratulations, Greta. You really deserve this.
Besomyka
May 3, 2012 at 4:29 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Cool! Congrats!
Daniel Schealler
May 3, 2012 at 4:39 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Yaaaay!
Now we get more Greta!
…
Oh, and, I’m, like, happy for you too. And stuff.
^_^
Congratulations Greta! That’s awesome news. Incredibly well done.
Wowbagger, Madman of Insleyfarne
May 3, 2012 at 7:17 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Living the dream!
gwen
May 3, 2012 at 7:58 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hooray!! Congratulations Greta!!
Desert Son, OM
May 3, 2012 at 8:01 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
Still learning,
Robert
Adam Lee
May 3, 2012 at 8:05 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That’s awesome; many congratulations! Anything that gives Greta more time to write is a very good thing.
Blobulon
May 3, 2012 at 9:10 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations! I’m very happy for you. Also happy for me, because I get to read more of your wonderful work.
sphex
May 3, 2012 at 9:33 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations, Greta. Much deserved. And we, your readers, are the real winners!!
Sastra
May 3, 2012 at 9:33 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Good news, indeed, for all involved (with the exception of course for Last Gasp and the theists (which would make an amazing name for a band.))
cry4turtles
May 3, 2012 at 9:52 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Good for you Greta! Am I getting a glimpse of a dream coming true? The sky is the limit now.
Allen C. Dexter
May 3, 2012 at 10:55 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
So happy for you. I wish we could all reach that kind of fulfillment and the opportunity to devote all our time to our first commitment to free thinking and truth.
I visit your site at least once a day and look forward to even more of your inciteful writing.
CailinBan
May 4, 2012 at 5:55 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations!
alexandercherry
May 4, 2012 at 11:10 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Quite nifty! Good for you!
Eric
May 4, 2012 at 1:28 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Their loss is our gain! I check your blog… religiously?… and would love to see you do some more speaking engagements! Congratulations!
Sheila Crosby
May 4, 2012 at 3:36 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Yippee!
Greta gets to do what she loves (and she deserves it.) And I get the chance to read more of her writing, which is pretty cool too.
Yukimi
May 4, 2012 at 6:13 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations! You rock!!!
Sandy A.
May 4, 2012 at 9:58 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Wonderful! I did my bit by buying your new book. Congratulations on achieving your goal!
seafire
May 5, 2012 at 2:35 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Gratulationer, er Congratulations. Darn Swedish gets in the way.
Ken
danielwall
May 5, 2012 at 2:37 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with in the future.
jack
May 5, 2012 at 3:56 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations on a hard-earned and well-deserved next step. I bought and quickly read your book when it came out, and I’m looking forward to the next.
robro
May 6, 2012 at 11:24 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Well, I’ll be damned…Last Gasp, huh? That could be a tough one to leave. It’s been years since I’ve been in the Last Gasp’s Florida Street world headquarters, but I have a special place in my heart for the annual burrito parties to which I was invited due my “professional” relationship with Zippy.
Good luck in your new venture.
Tony
May 7, 2012 at 12:11 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Congratulations Greta.
I hope to attend one of these conventions on reason, atheism, humanism, etc one day soon. Hopefully I’ll get to hear a speech from you when I do.
Daniel Schealler
May 7, 2012 at 12:21 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You know what phrase I just realized has a very nice ring to it?
Greta Christina, prolific author.
^_^
Congratulations, Greta!
May 4, 2012 at 5:02 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
[...] seen happen in the Christian world a few times but never in the atheist world:Greta Christina is leaving her day job so she can become a full-time writer/speaker I will no longer have to stop in the middle of a [...]