Last night I completed and turned in the last story of the Great Challenge (write 52 stories in 52 weeks). I’m beside myself with happiness. Too happy, in fact, to write a lessons learned from it. That will have to wait until tomorrow.

I’m also too tired and too excited to be sure I’ve acknowledged everyone who helped, so I’m just going to pick out the two people who were instrumental to this happening this year. (Having supportive people in one’s life is the key to any kind of writing success.)

My husband Steve cleared away all barriers from my life to open a space for me to succeed at this. He tirelessly listened to me talk about plots, gave me historical advice, offered suggestions, listened to the beginnings of 52 short stories, edited some, and graciously accepted that on many Saturday and Sunday nights he would have to go to bed without me so that I could finish a short story by the Sunday deadline. Thank you my one true love!

Max offered to do the challenge with me and they did. They got me writing on nights I didn’t want to by offering to write with me. They read a frightening number of stories, the bad and the good. They brainstormed ideas and told me honestly, but kindly, when I could do better. They were the best pal, the best writerly wingman a person could have. Thank you, Max!

My accomplishment is as much theirs as it is mine. I hope that I will someday be as good for them as they are for me.

May your life be filled with joy and challenges to work on. There’s nothing better. Be well, friends!