A Writer's Thanksgiving

I am thankful for ...

• my supportive husband, who encourages and honors my writing time.
• my terrific critique group, which holds me accountable in productivity and quality.
• friends who read my work and give me honest feedback.
• small independent publishers and booksellers, who are willing to take risks.
• the many incredible authors whose works have inspired, entertained and challenged me throughout the years.
• computers and writing software, because quill pens, typewriters and scotch tape are charmingly old-school but exhausting.
• the new opportunities made possible by e-publishing.
• the many people who will always return to printed books anyway.
• reading the classics on my iPad at the gym.
• print books, which survive falls, beach trips, coffee spills and power outages.
• handprinted notes from another reader in the margins of a used book.
• used book stores. 
• living in a literary town like Portland, Oregon, where a bookstore is a happening place on a Saturday night, a literary lecture series packs the house, literary magazines and writing conferences pop up and thrive, and nationally recognized authors find refuge and inspiration.
• coffee shops that welcome writers to linger and discuss.
• the stories and characters that keep finding their way into my head and onto the page.
• the human capacity to spin tales, which makes life so much more interesting and bearable.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!