Onward Into 2017

Isn't that the best writerly Christmas present ever?  Someone who loves me--and who GETS this writing thing, even though she's not a writer--gave it to me this year.  It pretty much sums up the past 11 years of my life.

That's right.  Eleven.

My writing goes back farther than that, really.  I self-published a non-fiction book in 2002 for a niche market, and believed myself to be an essayist, not a novelist.  A couple years after doing the non-fic thing, though, I wrote my first (terrible terrible terrible) novel.  And I haven't stopped since.

To date, I have written eleven novels.  (There's that number again.)  I don't intend to stop.

It took me five years to land an agent.  I spent five years with him, and we parted agreeably when I expressed that I thought it would be a better fit for me to move to his assistant Danielle, if she would have me (fortunately this made her smile and dance a little).  And I've just spent an amazing first year with her.  I'm so excited about what we're currently working on that I can barely breathe.

Yes.  After eleven years, I'M THAT EXCITED.

In the past couple of weeks, both as "Authoress" and as "Real Me", I've had folks online express that it's because of my blog/facebook posts/words/life that they haven't given up on their writing.  

This means the world to me.

When I launched this blog in 2008, I never dreamed it would be a place people would come because THEY NEEDED TO HEAR MORE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THAT GAL WHO IS STILL WAITING FOR HER SHIP TO COME IN.  In fact, had I known that, I may have thrown my computer out the third-story window and never written another word.

I mean, who wants to be THAT girl?  THAT story?  Who wants to be the one with the long, painful journey that others can derive hope/strength/encouragement from?

Yet that's my story.  And I'm thankful for it.

I'm thankful for every person who says, "You haven't given up, so I'm not going to give up, either."

I'm thankful for every person who thinks that, even if I never hear the words.

That's why I'm here.  I'm convinced.

BUT.  My journey isn't over.  And I think 2017 is going to be a Very Good Year!

So, why am I so excited?

First of all, I have an incredibly talented, incredibly enthusiastic, incredibly incredible agent who SHARES MY BRAIN SPACE.  I swear she does.  It's like she's inside my stories with me, and her insight and editorial suggestions are downright spiffing.  I adore working with her.  For my latest work, she actually offered to read my outline before I even began the first draft.  I took her up on it, of course, and her suggestions led me to write an EVEN BETTER STORY once I sat down to do it.  She's been 100% on board with both of my current projects EVEN BEFORE THEIR FIRST DRAFTS WERE COMPLETE.  And now that they're both finished works, she continues to be completely invested.  She's my champion, my advocate, my cheerleader.  I'm more thankful for her than I can express without sounding like a chattering ninny, so I'll stop here.

Secondly, the work that we've been subbing this year has come back with glowing words of praise and excellent insight that's helping me take a fresh look at it to see what needs to be done as we continue to move forward.  I'm VERY EXCITED to continue to explore this story's possibilities, because I love it and believe in it and WANT TO SEE IT FLY.  (Danielle believes it will, so on my doubtful days, I just remember the amazing gal to whom I've entrusted my work.)

Thirdly, my newest work is standing on the starting line, and my entire body is twitching as I wait for that gun to go off.  I'm so excited about this one that my stomach goes hollow every time I think about it.  Four of my beta readers -- four! -- told me that they were in tears.  Not that I like making people cry, but when it comes to writing stories, I LIKE MAKING PEOPLE CRY.  (Actually, the whole thing blows me away.  For my words to evoke that depth of emotion is almost beyond comprehension.  It's as humbling as it is exhilarating.)

Look at this wonderful, handcrafted mug--another beloved Christmas present, this one from a fellow writer.  She ordered it for me because the dragon is wingless, like the ones in my current story.  It's not easy to find wingless dragons depicted on much of anything (unless you're looking at Chinese New Year decorations), so she was thrilled when she found this for me.  I LOVE IT SO MUCH.  (On a side note, she's one of the beta readers who cried, apparently through the entire last 14 pages of my novel.)

This mug is the EMBODIMENT of my passion for writing.  It's handmade (like a story), it's a gift from a fellow writer/adoring fan reader, and it's A REFLECTION OF MY LATEST NOVEL.  How can I feel anything but satisfied, energized, and absolutely geeked out when I curl my hands around it?

All this--ALL ALL ALL THIS--to say that ELEVEN YEARS AND I'M STILL PRESSING ON.  I love what I do--the writing AND the encouraging.  I don't plan on stopping either.

I'd like to thank each one of you for being part of my journey (and I'd also like to invite you to continue along for the ride).

I'd also like to thank the following (because it really does take a village to raise an author):

• Josh Getzler, for believing in me enough to take the plunge (with a novel we both still love)
• Gabrielle Harbowy, for interviewing me on her blog even before I was agented, and for being a bigger source of encouragement than she may realize
• Jodi Meadows, for taking me under her wing and pouring into me in ways no one else ever had
• Alison Weiss, for being an undying support of my blog, the now-defunct teen writer blog, aspiring authors at large, and me personally
• Peter Salomon, for being utterly solid and terribly supportive
• Adam Heine, for teaching me more about worldbuilding than should be humanly possible, and for making me laugh (a lot)
• Maggie Skye, for being my Biggest Supporter Ever, and an undying voice of encouragement
• Rena Rossner, for GETTING IT, and for spurring me on...and, truth be told, for loving my stuff enough to say she'd offer representation if she'd been reading as an agent
• Danielle Burby, whose praises I've already sung
• Mr. A, who won't let me quit, and who loves me in the midst of both angst and euphoria

I'm ready for the year.  I'm ready to dig in, press on, inch forward.  I'm ready to fully embrace the joy of writing, in all its ugliness and grit and constipated moments.  I'm ready to fly.

Get ready to unfurl your wings and fly with me.  We're in this together!

Reposting the Ode

I'm still digesting your collective wisdom and advise from last week's Friday Fricassee.  "Blown away" doesn't adequately express it (and is clichéd, at any rate).

So here's a reposting of the Ode I first wrote in 2009.  It still applies--perhaps even more so.

Enjoy.  And I'll move things back to some semblance of normal around here.  I promise. :)


Ode To My Readers

Oh writers all, who browse this blog
And read its rambling prose,
Who share with me the ups and downs
Of writers' joys and woes;

I raise my feathered hat to you
For all that you have shared --
Your thoughts, your hearts, your manuscripts
(For those of you who've dared).

You've bared your souls and shared your dreams
And asked your questions, too;
I count myself so fortunate
To walk this path with you.

For writing is a solitary,
Lonely sort of thing,
Despite the satisfaction
And the pleasure it may bring.

So reaching out across the miles
Of crowded cyberspace
To touch the lives of other scribes
With neither voice nor face

Is something that we dearly need,
To keep our muses fed,
To offer up encouragement
When hope is nearly dead,

To shout "Hooray!" at each success
And "Boo!" when things go wrong,
To lovingly point out that excess
Adverbs don't belong.

So join me while I celebrate
The gift of knowing you,
And thank you all for coming here
And doing what you do.

You're strong, you're brave, you're talented --
Keep going, never doubt!
For living life with passion
Is what life is all about.

Highlighting Reader Responses

There is much kindness and wisdom and insight in the comment boxes of this blog (the lifeblood of who we are, really).  It occurred to me this morning as I was (once again!) perusing your responses to my post on FEELING BLANK that the conversation was one-sided--partly because Blogger doesn't let me respond to individual comments (am I missing something?), and partly because there were so many responses.

I still can't respond to them all, but I wanted to highlight a few so that you can all read them, and receive whatever gold nuggets they may offer.

From Krista Van Dolzer:

I really do believe that luck favors perseverance (and once you reach a certain level of technical proficiency, it all comes down to luck).

Krista, thank you for sharing your own story of perseverance.  I think that, somewhere deep inside us, we know that we must persevere--but when we actually hit that wall of I FEEL NOTHING, it surprises us somehow.  And that's the point at which many turn away.  Give up the dream.

Thank you for the clear reminder that our enthusiasm and sparkle dreams aren't what push us forward to the finish line.  It's raw perseverance.

From Kate Larkindale:

I think it's like falling in love. To begin with the whole writing/querying/publishing journey is new and exciting and you can't wait to get to the next step. But over time, the process becomes like a job and one you're comfortable with. The highs don't feel so high, and the lows don't feel so low. It's just something you keep doing because it's your life.

Kate, this is a perfect analogy.  I'll take it further and say that some writers bail out when the headiness of new romance fades.  When the journey starts to feel like a 40-year marriage, then probably we're in the right place.  (Assuming, of course, that, like a very long marriage, there's still a little passion in there somewhere!)

From Tom Alan Brosz:

Most difficult tasks will reach a point where the "dream" or enthusiasm isn't really there. That's when persistence and will take over, and you keep plugging even though it isn't all that much fun any more. 

Being an adult means that even when the last thing you feel like doing is your job, you buckle down and do it anyway. The goals haven't changed just because the mood has. That goes for writing, and many, many other things in life.

Tom, thanks for the reminder that this keep-going attitude applies to so much more than our writing.  Living a life of persistence and perseverance pays off in every area.

From Rick Rowe:

Write the stories that come from your heart.

Oh, yes.  Despite the level of angst or sorrow or complete blankness we might be slogging through, the actual writing is all about what's in our hearts.  The process and the publishing business and life in general may suck the life from us, but there is life in our stories--if only we remain true to them.  Thanks for this, Rick.

From June:

Blank is a defense mechanism. Like a child who grows up around screaming and can attend boot camp with a bored expression even as a 300lb drill sergant threatens to whip his @$$. Blank is your way of not allowing feelings through because you've been dissapointed by those feelings and hopes in the past. 

This is a valley, there will be more hills and moutains, but when in the valley, lower your expectations. You knew this was a long journey. You knew the risks involved. We've all heard the stories of people who didn't sell until their seventh book or the college student who sold her first book within months.

Now is the time to acknowledge the pity party, take a deep breath, and keep on trudging through. You have talent. Your writing, whether published or not, has an affect on your fans. Us. Those that read your words, learn from you, and take comfort that you're on this journey with us. I pray you are published some day soon so you can reach that initial dream. But keep dreaming. New dreams. New goals. New purpose. You make a difference, even when you feel like you've only left a blank.

June, your comment about the defense mechanism struck home.  I agree that "blank" is our brain's way of protecting us from too much pain.  It's amazing how dissecting the psychology of an emotional response helps us to feel more in control.  And less crazy.  Thanks for that, and for your words of encouragement.

(And I fixed your "your" typo.  Your comment about this being your first draft made me smile.)

From Becky:

I don't know if I'm resigned to the dream not happening or realistic that the dream is not a reflection of reality... But I'm not writing for the giddy high. I'm writing because I write.

This right here, Becky:  I'M WRITING BECAUSE I WRITE.  That's perfect.

From MargotG:

Feeling blank for a time allows the well to refill. Not just with energy, but with creativity, enthusiasm and joy. Give it some time.

Thank you, Margot, for the positive spin on blankness!  It does give the well a chance to refill.  Mine is already refilling!

From Kelsey Beach:

It may be that you're encountering the dream in a new way. It's like visiting a new place. You picture yourself there and plan all the things you'll do and see, but it's different when you're there. It becomes less fantasy and more practicality. "How do I get to the Eiffel Tower?" is a question of bus schedules, not scrimping pennies. 

 As you said, you're still writing and working; you're still riding the bus. And the Eiffel Tower is still there. It just might take a special sunset or a glass of Burgundy to kindle a slightly different dream.

Kelsey, I love this.  Such a beautiful, practical analogy of this whole dream thing.  This is genius.

And, finally, to "Anonymous", who gave me the pep talk about self-publishing--I hear you.  I really do.  While self-publishing is not something I'm pursuing right now (as I've stated before), it is definitely on my radar.  I like the whole "hybrid" concept, and I haven't written it off.  I appreciate your gentle and encouraging words.

There are so many others of you to whom I would like to respond, but this post is already quite long!  To all of you who offered words of encouragement and affirmation--thank you.  You know how it is when someone else says, "I know you'll make it!"  It's like you hang on those words for a while, because you can't believe them for yourself.  That's why it's so important for us to stay connected with each other, right?  We can all say, "I believe in you!" to each other as needed.

Right.  I feel better now, having properly responded to your outpouring of wisdom, experience, empathy, and kindness.

Let's go out there and rock this Monday, writers!

87 Hearts

I'd have to say that the meat of this week's blog content has come from you.

First, you responded with grace, strength, and the wisdom of experience to my OUCH post.  Here I am, being all protective and believing I'm doing some damage control, and you all rise to the top like sweet cream, muscles rippling.

I am so proud of you.  I am so blessed to be part of a group like this.

Then, you responded to my birthday request with a glorious assortment of personal stories, each one detailing at least one way in which this blog community has affected you.  Aside from the more obvious things like landing an agent and/or a book deal, you mentioned things like:

• procedure
• perspective
• perseverance 

(The 3 P's of MSFV?)

And, threaded thickly throughout the 87 comments:  ENCOURAGEMENT.  And oh, how important that is!  We all need it desperately--daily, when things are rough.  And it's hard to describe how humbling, and how profoundly gratifying, it is to know that, even on days when I feel like I have NOTHING to give, somebody is feeling encouraged by something I wrote.

Encouraged that their writing IS getting better, after all.

Encouraged that they are not alone on their journey.

Encouraged to know that others are succeeding, which makes success feel somehow less elusive.

Encouraged to WRITE FOR ONE MORE DAY.

Because sometimes it's a day to day struggle, right?

Thank you, Oh Eight-seven, for taking the time to comment your hearts.  They are like food and drink to my spirit right now.  (I can wax dramatic when I really put my mind to it, huh?)  But seriously, I have felt so drained; so tired of the long, black wait.  So tired of how slowly things move, how so much work and energy and lifeblood comes to a screeching halt while you are forced to Simply. Wait.

And sometimes it makes me want to run away to the ocean and never come back.  And never write another word.

Know what stops me?  You.  Sure, I'm feisty as all get-out, and I'm NOT a giver-upper.  But even non-giver-uppers scrape bottom sometimes, and I know I have to crawl back up again because your collective eyes are on me, and your collective journeys are part of mine.

And I LIKE it this way.

Thank you for being a lifeline for me.  I've said it countless times, but this is truly a remarkable journey, and I'm convinced that each stage has a precise purpose (even if we can't see it at the time).

Last night, my husband looked into my eyes and said, "I believe in you."  And that's the way you all make me feel, too.  Like you believe in me.  And this sense of believing-in-each-other is what keeps this blog alive and well for all of us.

Rock on, everyone!

An "I Love You" Sort of Day

To be perfectly honest, I detest the commercial, spend-money-at-the-last-minute-because-you-feel-obligated Thing which is Valentine's Day.

But, yanno?  There's a lot to be said about a day on which we focus on making others smile.  A day where surprises can happen outside the half-thought-out bunch of tulips picked up at the grocery store on the way home from work.  A day that we can reclaim, if we'd like, for expressing affection because we WANT to.  Not because we HAVE to.

And everyone needs affection, right?  It doesn't have to be a spouse or a lover.  Parents, neighbors, coworkers, children...nobody will wrinkle their noses at a little heart-shaped expression of love.

So:

• To Every Person who reads and enjoys this blog
• To Every Fellow Writer who shares my passion for the written word
• To my Crit Partners:  Jodi, Christine, Holly, Beth, Corinne
• To my Amazing Teen Readers:  Maggie, Taryn, Constance, Sarah, Rachel
• To all my Secret Agents
• To Agent Josh, who believes in me
• To Michael, my resident geek and personal hero
• To All My Twitter Followers
• To the Teens at Write On!
• To Mr. A, who keeps me sparkling behind my red hat

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY and THANK YOU for the part you play in this community, on this blog, and/or in my life.  You are, each of you, priceless and irreplaceable.  (And it doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to let you know.)

And now, feel free to wipe the goo from your eyes.  Because, yeah.  Just a bit gooey around here today!

On Giving Up

Yesterday's comments were another testimony of the amazing community here.  When "Anonymous" announced that not having been chosen for the Baker's Dozen Auction meant an end to his/her writing pursuits, you rose to the occasion and offered exactly the encouragement--and gentle admonishment--that was needed.

Thank you.

(I didn't even feel the need to jump in.  You were all doing beautifully without me.)

Here's the thing.  The initial despair that comes with rejection can feel VERY HUGE.  So huge, in fact, that we may feel swallowed by it.  But after the grand sucking sound of the quicksand, WE REEMERGE.  And we move on.

In case there are others of you who are silently planning to quit, let me reiterate what was shared so eloquently and sensitively in yesterday's comment box:  This is a subjective business.  One man's smelly left sock will be another man's gift card for Best Buy.  (Okay, that was a really dumb analogy.  Bear with me; I haven't been awake that long.)

And you know what?  Maybe an agent or an editor or the hapless slush readers of a blog contest rejected your work because it really wasn't ready.  Because it still needed a lot of work.  But you know what?  THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU SUCK, EITHER.  Now, if you don't get good, solid feedback and work your fingers off to MAKE IT BETTER, then, yeah, you're not going to move forward.  Not ever.  BUT!! (This is a big but.)  If you DO keep working; if you DO stay open to critique and keep learning and growing and writing and rewriting, then the only way you can move is FORWARD.

In short:  Don't give up.

You know that's my mantra.  You know how long my journey has been.  I'M STILL HERE.  (And I'm not going away.)

Years ago, I submitted a short story to the now-defunct Victoria magazine.  Non-fiction, anecdotal--just what they were looking for.  And I received the most incredibly snoot-tastic rejection letter ever.  (Think "We wish we could accept every submission our readers send; but, alas, we cannot."  Gag.)

I might've said to myself, "Wow.  I can't even get a story into a magazine with lots of pictures of flowers and Victorian porches in it.  I'd better stop writing."

But I didn't.

Then, of course, there was the middle grade fantasy that I queried to death, and, despite several requests for the full, never got me an agent.  I loved this story.  (I still love it.)  But in the end I had to shelve it.

I might've said to myself, "Wow.  I've sent a lot of queries and EVERYBODY HATES ME.  I'm not going to write anymore."

But I didn't.

So please don't throw the towel in because you don't move forward right away.  In fact, this is a principle that applies not only to writing, but to life.  I mean, seriously?  We don't get things right the first time.  Well, sometimes we might.  But that's the exception.  Most things take time and practice.

Right?

Keep practicing.  Keep perfecting.  Keep GRITTING YOUR TEETH AND PRESSING FORWARD.

And if you honestly don't feel like you can do that?  Like it's really not worth it?  THAT'S when you quit.  THAT'S when you decide that this writing thing isn't for you.

Because it's not for the faint of heart.  It's for the TOUGH-SKINNED.  The TENACIOUS.  The BLEEDIN' STUBBORN.

And, clearly, the SENSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE.  Because that's what you are.

I adore this community.  Am both humbled and encouraged by it.  Thank you for everything you are, and everything you offer!

Thank You...Again

This is a brief love note to you, my readers and fellow writerly types.  My blog family.

Last Friday, I asked for your input on the in-between times of your lives-as-writers.  And true to form, you came forth with amazing comments that went deep into my author-self.

YOUR WORDS WERE SO AFFIRMING!

I came away certain that I'm not outside the box, that this is a necessary part of the writing process, that it's possible, even, to ENJOY the in-between time instead of feeling interrupted or discombobulated by it.

What a thought!  I tend to be so driven that I lose sight of the fact that quiet times--in-between times--can actually be a good thing.

You've helped me to get my thinking straight on this one.  And that's just what I needed.

So thank you.  I was able to relax and make the transition.  I even read the next book on my nightstand! And now I've begun working on the next draft of my WIP.

You're amazing.  You were there right when I needed you.

Okay.  Mush fest over!  Thanks for indulging me.

Thanks and a Vote!

Two things!

1. I want to thank those of you who took the time to critique the teen work on Write On! over the weekend. What a wonderful gift to give these young, aspiring authors! I'm proud of all nine of them.

2. We're going to do another in-house critique right here on MSFV. I'm feeling ambivalent this morning, though, so I thought it would be fun to open it to a house vote!  Which of the following would you like to do:

• Talking Heads (focus on dialogue-rich excerpts)
• Drop the Needle (excerpts that are NOT opening pages)
• Are You Hooked? including loglines

Leave your vote (only one, please) in the comment box below.  Whichever one gets the most votes by 7:00 AM EST tomorrow is what we'll do!  

Showered With Roses

That's what this feels like!  Your words of congratulations here--and those on Twitter and the Blueboards and even in my email box--have felt like roses at my feet.

Thank you for sharing my happiness!  (Well, "happiness" is lame, but I'm trying to maintain a professional veneer.  Even though you all KNOW I've been dancing around the house with a stupid grin on my face for days.)

I'm going to post the Authoress Gets An Agent story after Christmas.  Until then, a couple of tidbits:

Josh has added me to his client list as "Authoress."  You've gotta love a guy who will play along with my alternate personality, yes?  See it HERE.

For the many who have asked:  Yes, I will reveal my real name (anticlimactic, I'm sure) when we've got a book deal.  I'd rather not have "Authoress" on my book covers.  And, yes, I'd like you all to know who I am so you can come to my book signings and introduce yourselves by your screen names.

(How many people get the opportunity to hear things like, "Hello, I'm Screaming Guppy!" in public?)

You've been a part of my journey as much as I've been a part of yours.  I'm so grateful to be "knit into" this community.

You rock!

Truly.  Thank you.

Thank You

I may as well admit it: I'm not good at receiving.  That's why I squirmed so much when the donate button went up.  Not that I thought it was a bad idea; so many of you had expressed a desire to "give back" somehow.

It's just that I wasn't looking for a way to "get" anything.  This blog--this COMMUNITY OF AWESOME WRITERS--is a gift in itself.  I've said so countless times.

It "gives back" to me on its own, anyway.  Without realizing, really, what I was doing, I've created a solid--albeit anonymous--platform.  A by-product of what was conceived as a community for encouraging writers.  That's an awesome payback all by itself.

Anyway.  Your generosity has blown me away.  And I'm not known for my speechlessness.  As you can probably imagine.

So to each one of you who has so selflessly donated from your pockets:  THANK YOU.  You have created Christmas.  Literally.

To each one of you who has purchased my e-book:  THANK YOU.  I hope you found it a truly helpful tool for your journey.

To each one of you who has written words of encouragement, affirmation, and reminders to never give up:  THANK YOU.  I have been strengthened by your words time and time again.  And they've made me smile.

To each one of you who has shared your personal success story and how the blog played a role in that:  THANK YOU.  It's amazing--and humbling--to watch people reach their goals, touch their dreams.

To each one of you who has generously given the gift of time by leaving thoughtful critiques on countless excerpts throughout the year:  THANK YOU.  This blog wouldn't be what it is without you.

To each one of you who has dealt with the frustrations of the submission process in order to get your work on the blog:  THANK YOU.  I salute you for your bravery AND your patience.

This blog--this COMMUNITY--is one of the hugest blessings in my life.  I am undone.

Wishing you peace, joy, contentment, and THE BEST POSSIBLE FUTURE FOR YOUR WRITING.

And you know I mean that. :-)

Amazing Grace

That's what Michael and I have been offered over the past 24 hours or so, and I want to thank you.

Yes, there were glitches yesterday. Yes, many of you were disappointed to not be able to get your entry in. Or you never found a response email. Or you couldn't understand for the life of you why your word count was rejected.

So much potential angst going on. And no one took it out on me.

That's right. No one.

Thanks for that. If only you knew how the Perfectionist Me writhed each time someone sent an email asking "Why?" Not because I wanted everyone to drop over in amazement at the power and perfection of Michael's creation. But because I wanted things to go RIGHT for EVERYONE.

Who, me? High standards? (It's amazing, I tell ya, that I've survived the querying process this long. If anything, this journey offers ANY writer an amazing opportunity for personal growth. Truly.)

Anyway. We've got some "stuff" to wade through today--formatting doo-doo, a couple of duplicate entries (believe it or not!). But the excerpts will post tomorrow on schedule and the Secret Agenting will begin.

I know I say it all the time. But you really are a wonderful bunch of authorly people.

*hugs*

Huge Thanks to my TEAM OF AWESOMENESS

First and foremost, I want you all to meet the genius behind our new, almost-ready automated submission system:

Michael Wulf

He's a long-time blog reader, aspiring author, and amazing geek. Er, programmer. And he's now officially my hero. Truth be told, he kept offering, over the course of several months, to automate the contests for me. I dragged my feet, I was reluctant to commit, I had other things going on that needed my attention. And, I mean, I didn't know this guy. What if he made my blog explode or something?

Anyway, he's awesome. Worked his butt off to get this accomplished. Easy to work with, answers questions without making me feel like a moron.

Yes, I do need to NOT feel like a moron.

In addition to acknowledging Michael for his hard work (and dedication! seriously!), I would like to publicly thank my wonderful team of fearless beta testers, who did everything they could to break things so we could end up with a nearly-flawless system.

So, THANK YOU to (in no particular order):


Elana Johnson
Sara J. Henry
Helene Boudreau
Lori Strongin
Tami Moore
Holly Bodger
Beth Revis
Jamie Harrington
Christine Nguyen
Jodi Meadows
Dave Hanks
Scott

I'm grateful for the time these folks have invested in this project. This new automated submission system is going to mean MORE contests and crits--simply because it does all the nitty-gritty work so I no longer have to!

Hooray!

Shout your thanks along with me. Because we're all going to benefit.

Quietly Speechless

It isn't often I stare at an empty Blogger screen. Words are usually right there, ready to flow.

Hmm!

I guess "thanks" is enough. I'm blown away by the outpouring of support and affection. You've always been supportive, so it's not as though I'm shocked. It's the just level of support, the passionate outpourings.

*snif*

I do want to clarify that I don't believe anyone was tweeting out of jealousy or malice. And that I don't have any hard feelings, angst, or any such poo.

It probably sounds ridiculously gooey, but I love this community. Like a mother hen with scads of invisible chicks. Except, I don't have to "mother" you. We're all in this together.

So. Thank you. For all that you've received in participating here, please know that you have also given. I haven't felt this affirmed in a long time.

**group hug**