Have you hugged a writer today?

Wow, I went totally off the grid there. Coming back from an awesome vacation threw my world into chaos, and I ended up sick on top of that. I'm finally coming on the other side of illness, so I'm getting back into the swing.

Writing took a major hit, although I did manage to get some editing done. The thing about editing is that when you change something, you have to be diligent that everything before and after the change fits. That can be a ginormous pain in the ass.

For those of you who do not write, I want you to know something. The novel you pick up at the store or download onto your smart device, is a labor of love. That isn't the first or second draft that someone wrote. That is a story the author told a thousand times. Those lines you love, the dialogue you want to quote, was retyped a hundred different ways. The person who sat at that keyboard to bring that story to life wanted to throw it out the fucking window more than once. They cried over it, they panicked, they doubted. They loved the thing enough to bring it to life.

I love books. Since I was able to read, I've loved books. They hold some of my dearest friends, my fondest memories. My father will often tell people that he's the only parent who had to tell a kid to stop reading and go outside (This was in the 90's when staying indoors was taboo. I'm sure the elder millennials out there get it.) I was a weird kid, I admit that. I wanted adventure and action, but I wanted it on the page. Knowing what I love is such a Herculean task to bring to fruition gives me such a respect for writers.

Even writers I can't stand,who will remain nameless, have earned some of my respect. They told the story to a thousand people, in a million ways. They stayed up late, got up early, and did the damn thing. I have a healthy knowledge of how much guts that takes. I've only recently discovered I have the guts. Scary feeling.

So, basically, what I'm saying is: Have you hugged a writer today? (A hug can also be in the form of a book review, a cup of coffee, or downloading their work).

This weekend I have a conference to go to, which makes me SUPER excited. I love going to be among my people. The smell of books and ink and cold coffee. I can't wait. I'm blessed to have a spouse who not only gets that this is my passion, but he encourages me to pursue that passion.

Honestly, he may just want me to get published so he can quit working and fish all day. You gotta have goals!

The Captain Marvel review IS coming, people. I swear. I'm working on it. For now, I need to get back to editing, contact a Beta reader, and make my kid come inside from playing!