It's been a long seven months since I last posted. I'd like to say I've been busy writing, but for a good portion of that time, I couldn't bring myself to do much writing. Some days, it seemed completely pointless. I know it all writers feel this way at times. In fact, I'd been down this road many times, but this time I was having a difficult time making my way back.

I think what made it different this time was the close calls. Editors kept getting excited about my manuscripts only to end up passing because of another title on their list, or someone else in their office giving it the thumbs down. The result was a rollercoaster that was truly making me sick.

To the rescue came my longsuffering wife and my almost as longsuffering agent. My wife gave me a gift card to Barnes and Noble and told me to go rediscover my love of books. My agent sent me "Take Joy" by Jane Yolen, which reminded me of the whole reason I wrote in the first place. For the love and joy of it. Publication, when it comes, should be the icing, and not the cake.

Hopefully, I won't forget this again. But if I do, hopefully, my wife and/or my agent will remind me yet again that writing is a labor of love.