my bio draft part two

By 2002 I had been an activist for about five years but the constant uphill battles, in-fighting and cut throat atmosphere was starting to get to me. Although It had given me annual trips to New York City and some great friends, there was no real art in it. I started to see that I needed to express my self creatively. I continued to be an activist for several more years but my enthusiasm began to break down. By 2002 I had also hit rock bottom health wise and had to slow down and face myself. In 2003 I decided to take one more stab at music and performing but by the end of that year it was clear that that was not in the cards for me. 2004 began with me in a deep depression. What on Earth was I going to do with my life?
    One night I was watching a movie. One of the characters was a crooked cop who was also an aspiring novelist. It made me remember an idea for a novel I had had back in 2000. I remembered I had written the first page but got discouraged and tossed it in a drawer to gather dust. When the movie ended I went to that drawer to see if it was still there and there it was, right where I left it! I decided I would work to finish and publish the novel and over the next four years I did just that.
    I named the novel Rainbow Plantation Blues. It's about a Slaveholder in 1850 South Carolina who falls in love with one of his male slaves. I thought LGBT love and relationships in the antebellum South was a unique and timely topic and would generate a lot of interest. It also seemed to satisfy my love of history, my need for artistic expression and political activism and my talent for writing.
    My health is now better than ever and I have a national audience for my work. Rainbow Plantation Blues has been well received and continues find a readership, despite my over three year break in promotions. Today I am focused on finishing the sequel, self-promotions and blogging.