My 35th birthday was February 5. Beloved surprised me with airline tickets for both of us, a hotel reservation and registration to the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) conference in New York City this weekend.
There was a time when I didn't think my husband understood my writing or how important it is to me. Now, as I continue to push this thing I do to a higher level, he's amazed me with his support. When I cut back to four days a week in corporate America in January, he encouraged me despite the pay cut. Every Friday he e-mails me to ask whom I've pitched, where I am with the novel, how the children's book agent hunt is going, what sorts of posts I'm working on for BlogHer. He knows I'm editing a nonfiction book for a colleague for money, and he's encouraged me to explore ghostwriting or ghost editing. He didn't blink when I told him about my plans for the Surrender, Dorothy redesign. And he recognizes that all the progress I've made with my writing in the last several years has sprung from initial, face-to-face contact. That's why he's sending me to this conference, to help me break into national freelancing, which is my goal for this year. (Although if I could sell my picture book, that would also be cool.)
Let's just take a moment to appreciate Beloved and other partners like him who support our writing, our dreams. Pitching, querying, blogging, putting your work out there for criticism and rejection is HARD. It's so much easier when you know there's someone on your team who believes in you.
Thanks, my love. I can't wait to play in New York City with you and introduce you to Alice and Liz and Doug and Stacy. I get that you get it.
