I did it! I did it! I did it!

I finished the last scene.

The one I once again was so emotionally attached to, I couldn’t write it.

But I didn’t realize it was the emotional nature of the scene that was holding me back -

Until I actually was able to write it.

I wrote it crying, or holding back from crying.

The only thing missing was the swelling background chords.

My main character realizes his triumphs in the end, but better yet, he recognizes all the help he didn’t realize he had along the way.


So here’s to the help I had along the way:

To all the moms, and then some, at http://www.creativeconstruction.wordpress.com/

who listened to me whine and encouraged and supported and came up with ideas to help me write around when I was stuck. In particular, thank you to Miranda Hersey-Helin for getting me to a place I could dust this old manuscript off and finish it. It took me a year to finish this first draft, which included many rewrites and edits along the way, after it sat for 4-5 years in a backed up document file and in a file cabinet.

To Joe and Ted, my Boston buddies who have been listening to me lament about writer’s block for over 20 years -and also for being just as excited for me when I was having a good stretch.

To Cathy J, whose friendship from second grade was rekindled about the time I started writing this thing, and who has listened to me whine daily and always been nothing but encouraging and creative through this whole ride.

To all my new and old friends who have offered to read and been excited and encouraging as I worked on this project.

To my boys, who constantly interrupt and inspire. K, especially or being the first reader of the first pages way back when, and saying he wanted to read more.

To my girl for laying me up in a horrible pregnancy and making me realize that while it was tight, we could survive on one income while I healed from her pregnancy and tried to write with less distraction than if I had a job to report to besides the three kids…

To my mother-in-law for putting up with my frustrations and all of the above under one roof while I was trying to write...

And last but not least, certainly not least, as he supported all of us financially, and emotionally me through my awful pregnancy, and after and the manuscript process, which was a lot like the pregnancy, as I whined about how I couldn’t write it nearly as easily as I thought, and generally acted piss poor around the house as I was constantly interrupted, etc...my dear, beautiful sweet, supportive, not much of a reader outside of tech and photo magazines husband, Andrew. Boy did he put up with a lot. I hope he knows how much I really do appreciate him for what he endured from me - because I really had to suck to be around for the past two years.


I’d also like to thank the teacher and 5th-6th grade class where I was a class assistant in 2003-5. Thanks, Emily M and gang! If it weren’t for my time with you, this manuscript wouldn’t even be a thought on the horizon.

Now, onto Draft 2 and the edits!

Cheers, Salute, Chin-chin!