Tuesday marked Lark Howard's last blog post for Reading, Writing, and Rambling. I'm grieving, but she has a demanding (and important!) day job and a manuscript to deliver to her agent. Something had to give, and she'd already banished her television set to gain fiction-writing time.
I'm grateful to Lark, who has inspired me in half-a-dozen ways. Let me explain.
- Remember the cool girl in high school? You know, the one who talked to everybody but had an edge and was interested in, say, alternative music while everyone else was bopping to a boy band? That's how I see Lark. I count myself lucky she invited me to sit at her table in the cafeteria. (That's not to say I've become cool by osmosis. I'm still uncool, but my horizon's wider.)
- Many jobs ago, my horror of team projects was triggered by a couple of individuals who flat-out refused to pull their weight. Slackers lurk everywhere, and more than one group blog has failed because members claimed they couldn't think of anything to say, didn't support one another, or muffled one another with topics to avoid and stances to uphold. Lark has had my back from day one. She's easy to work with and reliable. (Yes, publishers, consider this a letter of recommendation. Snap her up.)
- Even when writing's a slog and the frustrations mount, Lark doesn't whine.
- All work and no play leave writers without a thing to say. Even though she has a lot on her plate, Lark feeds the muse with movies, books, day trips, longer journeys, and the occasional adventure. I think I'm daring when I buy a Groupon for a tapas restaurant. She buys one for a flight lesson over Houston.
- Lark's love of all things French reawakened my inner Francophile—the one that had been slumbering since I had children and put away chunks of myself as too many moms do.
- Writing is, by its nature, solitary. While writers share work and gab face to face or via email with critique partners and beta readers, lonely stretches are part of the gig. Through this blog, I've gotten to know Lark and count her as a friend. Best gift ever!
I'm going to keep reading, writing, and rambling. Thanks to everyone who's stopped by and commented over the past year and a half. I hope you'll continue to visit as I struggle to discover enlightenment, publication, the perfect vacation spot, good health, cheap and delicious red wine, and an exercise plan that whittles away inches but doesn't require me to break a sweat.
Godspeed, Lark!
