“THE END” is Just the Beginning.

It’s the end of October, a year since I began writing a new novel, and this week, I typed “THE END” on my draft, just as my husband came into my office to deliver a package. He got disproportionately fired up, took an unwanted photo of me at my desk, sent it to our FamBam text group without approval, and announced we would go out to dinner to celebrate.

I shooed him away. “THE END is just the beginning,” I said, turning back to my computer where I took a photo of the screen for reference, updated my outline, and studied my calendar, asking myself when to begin again. Phase two of this building project starts Monday.

As in life, there are countless beginnings and ends to writing and publishing a book, and I think that’s why I love it so much. Whether it’s the end of a scene or chapter, the beginning of editing and revision, the anticipation of submitting, or choosing the cover, each part is its own little project, like laying tile or picking paint colors. All are inspired and hopeful, and once complete, I take pride in the accomplishment and allow myself a (proportionate) dance party.

The end as the beginning is a concept we all experience in various ways, but we tend to take for granted because we are so focused on what’s next in our process that we don’t recognize the transformation taking place. But if we are lucky enough to get a second go with the luxury of reflecting on what we learned the first time around, that is indeed an exciting prospect.

The lessons I have learned from this beginning to end journey are enumerable, but hands down, the most meaningful beginnings are the friendships I have formed and renewed thanks to the book signings, author events, book clubs, and more. For this extrovert who now works a solitary job, the post-publication meet-ups are like treating a golden retriever to a trip to the dog park. When do I get to go back, please?

Just this week, I was in Brentwood, Tennessee, at a woman’s house I didn’t know until I rang the doorbell and let myself in. I drove to Brentwood to meet these new friends for the same reason I have driven all over the South for the past ten months— I’ve grown addicted to these moments of community, the narrowing degrees of separation, and the inspiration I find in people and their stories.

The stories are why I started my People-Inspired Podcast, and this month I got to chat with Sarah Berry, a woman with an amazing THE END is Just the Beginning tale. I met Sarah Berry in February at the Fire and Ice Festival in Blue Ridge, Georgia —the same festival that inspired the rib cook-off scene in my debut novel, Back to Blue Holly. Add that Sarah is a co-owner of one of a handful of female-owned “Brewstilleries” in Tennessee, and you’ve got yourself a pretty cool beginning to an end and back again.

Sarah’s story is captivating on so many levels, and we captured some of them on my People-Inspired Podcast for you to hear. I have loved getting to know Sarah and every single person Back to Blue Holly has introduced me to. And now that I know what I know about the best part of writing and publishing, I’m motivated. It’ll be a minute because there’s work to do, but I’ll keep you posted on the time and place for the dance party.

 Meanwhile, pay attention to your beginnings and ends and beginnings again, and celebrate each transformation.