I'm Thankful for Philip, Lukas, Sara, Catherine, Jerry, Larry, and Lee

I’m spending this Thanksgiving Day, as I spend most others, at home, with my laptop. There will be no special great meal or tons of friends over. I’ve had two wonderful invitations and declined them both. I’m not a big meal eater — turkey is definitely not one of my favorite sources of nutrition — and I have one too many memories of meals where I felt forced to eat well beyond any sense of enjoyment to really want to go out for a Thanksgiving Dinner.

Furthermore, I sometimes wonder if the emphasis, when it comes to Thanksgiving Dinner, hasn’t shifted a bit too far to the word dinner, while skimming over the word thanksgiving.

I can be thankful here at home without the meal. And I am. I have so much to be thankful for. My family and friends in general. But since this blog is, theoretically at least, dedicated to literary interests, I would especially like to say words of thanks to those who have been exceedingly helpful and supportive during the past “literary” year.

To Philip Spitzer and Lukas Ortiz: Thank you for taking me on and rejuvenating my faith in the process. I so appreciate your wisdom, experience, dedication and all-out sense of fun.

To Sara J. Henry: For being such a great roommate at Bouchercon, a wise editor and hilarious friend. Bouchercon would not have been the same without you, and my book has become much better because of you.

To Catherine Maiorisi: For being such a constant friend, source of wisdom and good common sense. This year, Catherine was also a source of wonderful good news.

To Jerry Eisner: For being such a fantastic all-around friend, mentor, coach and editor. New York is a much better place with you and I do hope you’ll be able to stay here.

To: Larry Beinhart: For offering excellent literary criticism and for sharing one of the funniest stories about one man’s experiences at Bouchercon I’ve ever heard. (Don’t worry, Larry. Your secret’s safe with me. I’ll never tell.)

To Lee Child: For befriending me and being kind. Kindness is a rare, elegant quality, and you have it in spades. Thank you, Lee, especially for your parting words at the airport. I’ll always treasure them.

Writing is a solitary affair. Solitude can be wonderful. It can also lead you to wonder whether anyone cares, and whether any of your efforts will ever amount to anything. At such times, one becomes exceedingly grateful to have literary friends like these.

I wish them all a Happy Thanksgiving Day and a wonderful coming year.