On Being Thankful

Thanksgiving is just a few days away. Tomorrow, I’m headed north to my old hometown, Cleveland, to spend the holiday with family and see good friends. I’m hoping we won’t get snow on our drive, but let’s face it, it almost always snows when we drive to Ohio!

Thankfulness #1: I’m thankful I live in the South, where winters are mild (sailing in January, anyone?), and the few times it snows each year is actually fun!

2015 is almost over, and it’s been a great year for my family. My daughter is halfway through her last year of college, and my son is halfway through his first. And although neither are living at home anymore, I’m thankful that I have such great kids. It’s wonderful to watch them as adults, making their way in the adult world. We’ll be selling the big house and moving downtown and into an apartment, and I can’t wait!

Thankfulness #2: I’m thankful for a wonderful husband with whom to share the next part of my life who pushes me to explore and challenge myself and supports me every step of the way.

2015 has been an amazing year for writing. I finished my first fantasy series, the Mermen of Ea trilogy, the first two books are now in audiobook format, and a French translation of Stealing the Wind (Sous le vent) will be released on November 27th. A Solitary Man, my co-write with the fabulous  Aisling Mancy was just released by Dreamspinner Press, and the reviews are truly amazing. First Comes Marriage is coming out on January 15th as part of the new Dreamspun Desires line from Dreamspinner Press, and I can’t wait to share it with the world. Writing First Comes was a challenge to myself to see if I could write a sweet, tropey, low-angst romance. I’m really pleased with the result and I hope readers will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Thankfulness #3: My readers are the BEST!

There are so many other things I have to be thankful for. My health, the sweet old dog who is still around to give me kisses, friends, old and new, a RL job I love and

that gives me great satisfaction, a terrific publisher that believes in me, an editor who is as patient as a saint (and kicks ass!), the ability to travel for pleasure and for my writing. And so many more things.

And yes, there have been moments of terrible sadness and grief in the loss of relatives and one very special writing friend. I will miss them something fierce. All the more reason to find things to be thankful for, if only to remember how thankful I am to have had them in my life.

Thankfulness #4: In grief and loss, there is reason to give thanks.

So this Thanksgiving, I’ll be hugging my loved ones and telling them how lucky I am. And I am. Truly. Thankful. -Shira