First, the trash

Len and I laughed. Last night we talked about how the next day will be a day that we have anticipated for almost eight months. Getting there has not been easy. Oh, my gosh, who would have fathomed the stress. Poor Len. He came through it triumphantly.
"You get to hit SEND tomorrow," he said.
For weeks, he would leave the house and the last words would be, "write! write! write!"
"I will," I replied. "First, I have to take out the trash."

And there you have it. The life of an author. In a nutshell. In all its glory.
It is now the next day.  Len's last words to me this morning were "send! send! send!" I love my cheerleader.
The trash sits at the curb on Mayne, and I am looking at a completed document, making final changes, tweaks and corrections. By literary standards, 40K is not a major book, but by my standards, it might as well have been the Bible. I could never have imagined how exhausting this would be. I'm spent - just like mash! But unlike the mash, I'm not sure there will be another run. Today, I say no. Tomorrow, who knows?
Len read my book yesterday, for the first time. Instead of getting it in phrases and slices, he saw the entire picture. I sat at my desk in my office while he sat at his desk in his office. I heard him laugh, comment, sigh - that is my validation. That's the best review I will ever receive.
All in all, I'm proud of what I have created. Thankful for the opportunities along the way. For the past two years, I have been given the privilege to watch a family come together than had spent too much time apart. I heard stories that made my toes curl, my heart race and my mind spin. I recorded history  - not only for the family - but for generations (including me!) who came from the North Georgia mountains. I cemented a time that I hope will not be lost.  I am proud.
So, this part ends. Who knows what comes next? I'll let you know once the editor has her say.
With gratitude . . . . (SO much gratitude)!