Give Thanks

I'm thankful for many things this season...starting of course with family and friends.

This week my husband (or SuperHusband as I call him now) mopped the kitchen, vacuumed the living room, watched the kids, did laundry (oh my stars), and even cooked a meal or two while I typed away. (Hey, ramen and mac 'n cheese are meals as long as I'm not the one hovering over the stove!) I imagine that it could be hard for a significant other to understand the desire to write...sitting at the keyboard for hours a day, crafting a story that Just. Won't. Let. You. Quit. I imagine that a significant other could get angry that a writer makes little or no money and writes because they can't imagine ever stopping. But SuperHusband was been understanding and sympathetic and has even picked a rose or two for me to dote over while I write.

SuperThankful for SuperHusband and our SuperMunchkins.

I'm thankful for critique partners who steer my poor, misguided manuscript to stormier waters. I like stormy seas...they're much more fun to sail than a flat calm and doldrums just plain suck. Likewise, my story needs a little wind, a little wave, a little conflict. Nobody likes a sagging middle. When I feel like I'm sailing off course, I hand over my manuscript to one of my wonderful readers and they send it back, tweaking the mast, changing course a bit, and even throw in some obstacles that I hadn't thought about when I planned my trip...like what role a particular magical piece of jewelry was going to play until a main character asked about it. Yeah. It got that bad for a bit. (But don't worry poor little misguided manuscript, you're all better now.)

I'm thankful for all the people who've emailed or tweeted or facebook DM'd me saying they want to buy a copy of Dark Tide Rising come February 2. And most of you aren't family or friends! That's fantastic and I'm beyond flattered.

I'm thankful for my agent at Spencerhill Associates and my editor at The Wild Rose Press. It's such a wonderful feeling to know that there are people who believe in my work and the world that I've created so much so that they're investing their own time and energy to see it come to life. I'm eternally grateful.

I am, as always, thankful for the little things life has to offer. The breeze brushing through the olive trees in front of my window. The fallen leaf bumbling along the street. My new puppy who is at this *very* moment chomping on my right slipper...it's still on my foot, fyi. I'm thankful for the surprise smile, the light in my munchkins eyes, the "I'm proud of you" hug from my parents.

I'm thankful for it all.

Happy early Thanksgiving everyone.