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Tyree just smiled, unoffended. "It's an honor. It's just good humor," he said.
Bright, a retired Borgia teacher, became interested in writing when he received his first check and realized "If I worked at it, I could make some money and learn a little about everything," he said.
He wrote his first article when he was a sophomore in college.
"It was a nonfiction research article published in 1970 about amblyopia (lazy eye disease) and how its early diagnosis can save a baby's vision," he said. "It was published in American Baby magazine and earned me $70 back when gas cost 29 cents a gallon."
Since that time Bright has published two books, one about sea serpents and one about the University of Iowa's Hawkeye football team.
"I grew up in Iowa City and am still a fan," he explained. Bright also has written articles, poems, plays and short stories and it is all chronicled in "Jumping Through Hurdles."
Bright's various works have been published in different ways by different people but he publishes his books himself.
"I lost money on my first two books, which is why I formed my own publishing company to put out my own stuff," he said. "I control everything but I also have to do everything: promotion, marketing and appearances. I'm still learning this business."
Bright said being an author is not his career yet. He has been working, writing, marketing, selling and cleaning out writing files from the last 30 years when he was too busy to write.
"Now I have time to research and write only because my wife is willing to work and maintain our health insurance," he said.
His wife, Sue Bright, teaches band at Borgia.
Besides writing, Chuck also gives reading and chat sessions at libraries and chats with high school creative writing classes.
He visited Jennifer Hertlein's class Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Washington High School.
When asked what it takes to be an author, he said, "Reading is a very important part of writing, as is thinking and solitude and hours of uninterrupted work at the computer.
"To be a writer one needs to write. Not text, blog, keep in contact with Facebook friends or play Farmville or watch soap operas. A writer needs to write," he said, "then find a market for it, promote it and sell it to someone. Then the process starts all over again.
"It just takes the discipline to put yourself in front of a keyboard and get it into print. 'Progress not perfection' is a good motto," Bright said. "Don't get discouraged if you get a rejection slip. No kidding, I wallpapered my dorm room with early rejection slips back in college."
While Bright makes writing sound difficult, he still enjoys doing it.
"When you get a sale or a publication, it's a really good feeling, particularly if there's a check in the envelope," he said. "It's also an ego booster to have someone pick up a book or magazine in a library and be able to say, 'I wrote it' or 'I wrote the article on slot machines in that magazine.' "
Bright also encourages young writers to do lots of research. "You learn so much when you research," he said.
"Writing is a tough life, financially, psychologically, emotionally and socially, but once you're published and paid for something that you created, you'll be hooked," Bright said.
"Jumping Through Hurdles" was published in May. Copies are available through Bright, who can be reached at 331 State St., Washington, MO 63090 or bsiipc@ swbell.net.
