Thank You, Muses!

I'm writing this the day before GILT is released into the wild. And I'm struggling to find the words that will illustrate how I feel. In fact, I've started this blog post four times now and still can’t get it right. I'm flooded by memories from the past three years, all the writing and revising, all the e-mails and calls and laughter-filled meetings with the Muses. Because every step, every setback and triumph has been shared with them and by them and I'm sure I wouldn't be here (and certainly not as sane as I am now) without them.

So let me bypass my emotions, as well as my memories. Let me avoid telling you how I feel about my book and its publication, and let me tell you how I feel about these people.

Donna is my rock. When she comments, she speaks from the heart. She doesn't need to use lots of words to let me know what she thinks what she feels, but I know that whatever she says is the truth. Her quiet certainty is contagious, and the emotional depth of her own writing can fill my creative reservoir just through reading it.

Talia is an inspiration. I felt uneasy writing romance and romantic relationships into my novel until Talia showed me how it was done. She pushed me to try more, to believe in love, and to put that into words. She has drive and enthusiasm and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of energy, not to mention courage. One day, Talia, I will write that epilogue.

Veronica is my touchstone. She is the epitome of a professional writer, of someone always striving to improve her craft, even when she has already succeeded to a glorious degree. Just by watching her, I have learned more about writing than I ever thought possible. She instills confidence through careful words and well-timed e-mails, and I feel like a better writer (and a better person) just by knowing her.

And Bret? Bret is the closer. He read GILT when it was in line edits, and the suggestions and insights he offered improved it enormously. But Bret is also my go-to guy. When I'm struggling, he’ll brainstorm with me. When I have a crisis of confidence, he'll prop me up, not with easy words and false encouragement, but with truth and strength and almost always a laugh.

The Muses’ fingerprints are all over this book. It wouldn't be what it is today if I had never had the courage to take my scrambled mess of an unfinished manuscript and air it in front of strangers at a workshop. And I'm thankful every day that those strangers became friends.