Who is this blog for?

As the deadline for my book comes closer and closer, I've been thinking a lot about what to put in the little "About the Author" bit. I only get 75 words, and so far, I have taken up about 20 of those words: "Mackenzie Mulligan is a graduate of Biola University and the Torrey Honors Institute, and he blogs at Evangelical Outpost."

I've been tempted to add several more words to that: "and at his personal blog, Imperfect Reflections." But I don't think I'm going to do that.

Is it cowardice? Is it because I'm ashamed of what I'm written? Not really. At least, I don't think so. I've spoken harshly about Calvinism, and I hold to that still. I've spoken still more harshly about the no-doubt-soon-to-be-forgotten controversy over Christian rap, and while my feelings have mellowed somewhat, the post is still mostly accurate. These two issues are the ones that I feel are most likely to alienate any potential fans, and I'm not ashamed of them one bit.

However, I don't know if it would be the wisest move to advertise them, either. My good friend the Lady Steph once told me that she was being very careful about what she put in her blog, in case she pursued a career in which her blog would come up. I scoffed at the time, but now I understand. It's not a matter of shame: it's a matter of prudence, and picking your battles (neither of which are my strong suits). 

The style is unrefined, and occasionally unpolished (and no, I don't think those are the same thing). The content is occasionally inflammatory, and sometimes needlessly so (for which I am ashamed). Sometimes I write posts in coffee shops and go all nuts with random references to board games and Emery songs (which is weird, because I didn't actually have coffee at the time...the change of venue was apparently enough to spark the creativity). 

The point is, this blog is read mostly by people who know me, and it's written with that in mind. While the occasional post will be read more often by other people, the vast majority of posts get a handful of views. Most of my readers who know me read this blog precisely because they know me. Evangelical Outpost is different. The posts there are "relevant." They're polished, they're (mostly) refined, they're carefully calculated. Which is all well and good...it's just not what I do here. 

This isn't the blog of "Mackenzie Mulligan, Published Author." This is the blog of "Mackenzie Mulligan, Robe Enthusiast/Cat Lover/Gamer."  It might become the blog of "Mackenzie Mulligan, Published Author" one day. Maybe it will become that because enough people have found this blog through EO (what giddy thoughts I'm thinking today!), at which point I hope I'll be able to keep everything that's good and fun about my writing, and refine it further. In fact, I've already taken one small step. My blog was referenced in another blog about C.S. Lewis quotes that aren't really C.S. Lewis quotes, as "a blog by a person who goes by Mackman." I realized then that, at the very least, I should probably have my actual name at the bottom of my posts. So there's that.

But until then, this blog is for me to write about things on my mind, and for my friends and family: the people who see it on facebook and read it because I'm the one who wrote it. If that doesn't describe you, and you're reading this anyway, then my wildest dreams have come true (well, not "wildest" necessarily, but still pretty wild). If, several months from now, you stumble upon this because you read Simon, Who is Called Peter, let me know! That would be pretty cool.