When I was a serious runner, it was always the last mile that posed the biggest challenge.

Coming over the hill, seeing the big “FINISH” banner was always a relief; proof that the race was almost over. All that remained was covering the last few tenths of a mile to get to the part where the running stops.

But it was the hardest distance to cover. The “don’t stop yet” “just a little further” mantras looping through my mind, feet propelling me forward until finally… I crossed. I was done.

But not really.

Runners don’t really stop when they cross the finish line; instead, they slow down, walking in order to avoid cramps or injury.

The race is over; but you still have to keep moving.

I’m in the last tenths of the journey, looking beyond the finish line to new ways keep moving after SOMETHING BETTER.

Author’s Note: Not that I’m abandoning SOMETHING BETTER. Far from it. I am proud of this book and will talk about it as long as anyone wants to ask me questions. But the book itself is final. As I said in “The Journey to Letting Go”, in giving it to my readers, it is no longer mine.

This summer is full of events. My daughter is graduating high school, attending a national theater competition, and traveling to Europe before leaving for college in August. Meanwhile, my son is playing baseball at least four days a week with two different teams. There are family visits, house chores, grad parties, and other activities I’m sure I’m forgetting. Maybe I’ll clean my house.

Writing-wise, I’m looking ahead to a third round of edits to my sophomore women’s fiction novel, WELCOME TO BLOOMS, with an eye toward jumping back into the agent queryverse in September. In November I’ll be participating in my fourth NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) on an entirely new project. And there’s my YA manuscript, THE ROCK SHOW, which I recently revived for the annual #WIPSoundtrack2023 challenge on Instagram (Interested? Read excerpts and listen to the playlist here).

I have movement. I have momentum. I also have rest days (heck, a rest month) planned. I’m in the final stretch of SOMETHING BETTER, tapering before the big finish. I’m already celebrating.

Don’t stop yet; just a few more steps to go.