I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

As I thought about what I wanted to write about today, I realized I had a ready-made story. I spent this past Monday with my critique partner, Allie Burton. Although we became critique partners when we both lived nearby, life and moves have conspired to put us 1,000 miles apart. So a visit this week was not only about being together but we had a lot of catching up to do!

We talked about everything – our writing, our lives, our families – and no matter the subject, we had that wonderful bond of...