And That’s a Wrap!

Last week I finished reviewing my galleys for my latest book. As I sent them back to the publisher I had that mix of feelings I only seem to get when I’m wrapping up a book – that combination of accomplishment mixed with dread. What did I miss? Do I like the story enough? Will anybody read it? Will it be as good as the last book? Thank God it’s done.

But, for all of the gut-wrenching feelings associated with the debut of a new book, writing has been one of the most satisfying experiences of my life. It’s a marathon of sorts, and that feeling of having completed something is always amazing. But deeper than that is the sense of sharing something – sharing a story that people can dive into and experience. Some people will love it and others will hate it – experiencing the difference of opinion is another plus of being an author. I love reading the criticism as well as the positive reviews – it makes me think about my work in new ways and it somehow always feels like I’m growing.

This latest book, A Careful Heart, was a weird and exhausting book to write. The characters live through things that I hope my friends and family don’t have to experience. They come through the challenges together though, and that makes me happy. A Careful Heart was fun and funny and heartbreaking to write, and I already miss the characters I came to know and love in writing the book.

There is a blankness to life after finishing a book. Every morning for a year or so, I sat down with the same set of characters and that storyline, and for a couple of hours that was my life. And now it’s over. In the days after finishing a novel, I sit down at my computer in the morning and write other things – emails, blog updates, Facebook posts. But that life of the last story is missing and everything seems static… until the next book begins.