Home at Last

Five years ago, I stood in a dirty, smelly, wreck of an old stone house and knew I wanted to call the place home. Bushes were growing in the window. Bats lived in the attic. Wallpaper was hanging down in strips. But the house whispered to me.

Part of the reason I fell in love with the property was its falling-apart stone garage. I could see past the broken windows and crumbling dormers and what I saw was a workspace that was airy and inspiring, but also rock solid, literally. A place that would put its arms around me.

Renovating it took a lot longer than I anticipated – thanks, Covid; thanks, cancer – but it’s finally done, and move-in day is about a week away.

As the reno ends, so does another project I’ve spent years on – my fairytale trilogy. I’m finishing edits on the last book and am getting ready to let go of characters I’ve lived with for a long time. They were with me through the pandemic. In the hospital and after. They kept me company during some pretty dark days. You’ll meet them soon and I’m so excited for that, but for now, I’m saying my good-byes. And my thank-yous. They may not live in my head anymore, but they’ll always live in my heart.

Already, some new characters are knocking on the door. I think they’re looking for a home, too, and I’m going to invite them into my lovely stone cottage for a chat.

I can’t wait to tell you what they have to say.

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