It’s about three days, four hours, and twenty-one minutes till September first … but who’s counting?

I woke up this morning stressed to the point of sickness. Plus my wrists, hands, and arms have not been doing well lately– very inflamed and overused. I’ve been elbows deep in Biofreeze. I’ve also been icing them, got a massage, am taking Ibuprofen … I’m not sure if the stress and anticipation can make it worse or not, but it’s been pretty bad.

I stayed home. I slept in. I cleaned my house. I did the laundry. And then I worked on Mill City.

It was just what the doctor ordered.

Now, with so much of that behind me, I’m feeling good, much more relaxed, and tremendously excited for my friend Cindy to fly into MSP tomorrow from DC! (You might remember Cindy from here or here or here.) Since Cindy left Northwestern to join the Navy, I have seen her five times: twice in the Cities, once in Wisconsin, once in Boston, and at her wedding in DC last year. But Cindy and I talk just about every single day, and she knows more about me than probably anyone. I honestly think the distance aids that: it’s easier to tell your long-distance friend your flaws than the ones you spend weekends with, you know? I am so thrilled to host her in my new home and to have her spend the next four days with me, including at my launch party. Cindy is one of the people to whom Truest is dedicated, and I’m just giddy with anticipation for her arrival!

I’m feeling very detailed right now too. I’ve been re-reading Saving Francesca (by my queen Melina Marchetta), and I’ve been reminded of just how detailed she is … there are so many lovely little details dropped into SF that I’d forgotten about but which make you feel you truly know the characters. So I’ve opened up a new document and am thinking through the childhood of my characters (they’ve known another their whole lives), about their quirks, about random little details that I can sow like seeds into my story, hoping they will become vines that add to the structure. It’s been fun to think about the little pieces. It makes me love my characters even more. I know Truest is the book that’s coming out in days, but I’m also so ridiculously excited about Mill City. I think people are going to see a marked improvement in my writing, and that makes me really, really happy.

I keep hearing from friends who are coming to my launch party, who have pre-ordered Truest, who have invited friends and book clubs and spouses into my excitement, and I’m feeling so loved. Thank you, all, for your well-wishes, your prayers, your presence, your pre-orders, your patience with me at this time and always. I’m a lucky girl.

I keep talking about 2012, which is when I started writing Truest— in January, so very nearly four years ago. But that’s not even close to encompassing my journey as a writer. I have wanted to write books since second grade, when I was seven. I’m 33 (almost 34) now … so Tuesday has been over twenty-five years in the making.

Thank you for celebrating with me. And for bearing with me through all these blog posts. I know that a handful of you have been grateful for the insider look at publishing. These posts are for you. But also for me, to keep me sane and to keep a history of my dream coming true.

Thank you for making me feel loved. You are loved right back.