Fortunate Days...

I've been busy, which is why it's taken me almost a week to drop by and put a note in this web journal. Exciting things have been happening. I received some great news from the University of Central Florida last Thursday, and I've been busy each day working with the administrators at Florida State College on my fall schedule. I think things are falling into focus for my first year of graduate study at UCF. I'm taking a full load of courses, and I'm really excited about joining the program.

I also had a great day on Friday. I typed those two magical words at the end of the first draft of an 80,000-word novel.

The End.

I celebrated with an afternoon on the golf course, and it occurred to me there how splendid and rare it is to complete such a project. How many such afternoons does a writer have in his or her life? Even the most prolific among us might only have thirty or forty. 

That's less than half a summer. Seriously, the NBA Playoffs last longer.

I once read about a writer that reserved a special bottle of wine for that evening when a project came to completion. That's a nice glass of red every night for a month. Not too long, when you think about it...

I mention this just to say that it's important to relish those two magical words. Whether it's a 100-word drabble or a 120,000-word doorstop, enjoy the ride and take pride in bringing a story into being.

The End.

Simple, powerful words.

Now it's time to get back to work. I have a blank sheet of digital paper staring at me in the next window...