A Merry Weekend

Independence Day has never been a favorite holiday of mine, and I'm not one who, I'm sorry to admit, thinks on its historical symbolism a great deal. But still, the gathering of family and friends, good food and amazing fireworks make for a super day.

The lake where we live always has day-long activities, concluded with a full fireworks show, the Saturday closest to the holiday. To coordinate with the fun we invite family and friends up for time together and fun on the water.

This year was especially cool, and yesterday couldn't have been more perfect. The weather was cooler and breezy - incredible for a midwest July - and I relished kicking back with dear ones near. I let go of all my writing-related stresses, and just existed, plain and simple.

But you wanna know the single coolest aspect? Sitting out on the lake in the dark, a sea of boats around ours as we watched fireworks explode. It was a poignant moment for me because not-so-long ago I wrote about that very thing...

My novel, the one I'm querying, ends on the Fourth of July, with lake celebrations much like ours. And, the very last chapter, the very last page, ends with a proposal under the fireworks. I'd drawn on my own experiences to write about the water, the sounds, the colors, and to watch it play out again was indescribable.

Someday. Someday it'll be in print, and you all can read it. Then you can share the experience with me.