On Monday, I learned that the final draft of my thesis was complete. I also received my grade, which I’m delighted with. Two days ago the finished copies were delivered to the graduate department office. Relief. I’m done. The thing is that I have been so busy for so long that now I hardly know what to do with myself. So I’ve given myself this week to not start anything new. I am letting myself ease into this ending before my new beginning.

I had a bunch of great stuff happen at the end of last week. An essay I wrote, Giving My Sons the Tools of Faith, about my struggles to teach my son about faith beyond (or without) religion, was published on the Psychology Today blog.

Last Friday afternoon, I had fun as the guest host at LitChat. My thanks to everyone who showed up and made it such a fun discussion.

I was also treated to this lovely review by Pamela Erens. Here’s just a bit of it:

Myfanwy Collins is masterful at evoking landscape, particularly the harsh winter landscape of way-upstate New York. This novel’s emotional and physical weather are much the same: scouring, unpredictable, and dangerous. Echolocation casts a spell and leaves you shaken.

Thank you, Pamela!

On Saturday, my family and I traveled to Shelburne Falls, MA where we visited with family. Later that night, I was delighted to read at the charming Arms Library. My thanks, indeed, to everyone who attended and to my fathers-in-law who organized the event with the library director, Laurie Wheeler. My son was also in attendance. He made us all very proud by making intelligent comments and asking great questions during the Q&A session.

Lindsay Gates Markel over at Googlin’ Like a Hooligan gave Echolocation this wonderfully terse review:

ECHOLOCATION IS SO GOOD IT’S RUINING MY FAMILY.

I LOVE THAT! Well, I don’t want to ruin families, of course, but still… YAY! Thank you, Lindsay.

Later in the week, Brian Seemann followed up on his great review by asking me some great questions. Thank you, Brian!

Last night, I was fortunate to have another local reading. This time it was at the lovely, Rowley Public Library. Was touched to have two of the moms and one of the teachers from my son’s preschool there. I have been completely bowled over by the support I’ve been receiving for Echolocation from the parents and teachers at the school. I was talking to my son’s teacher about it this morning and she said, “We are so proud of you. We are a community.” I love that.

A nice end to the week, was this super feature in the Worcester Telegram: Rejection part of the process: Perseverance rewarded with publication of novel. My sincere thanks to Richard Duckett and the Telegram for running this story.

As for endings and beginnings… my mind has been going to April 1st all week. April 1st. April 1st. Yesterday, it hit me why. April 1st is the anniversary of my mother’s death. This year it will be 11 years since she is gone, but whenever I think of that day, it is yesterday.

Such a strange thing–the anniversary of someone’s death. It is the antithesis of the birthday, obviously. It is a day to mourn. Instead, on that day, I choose to celebrate her life, which was often hard, but also beautiful. I will never stop loving you, Mum, and also never stop being grateful that you brought me into this world, which I love.

Finally, let me leave you with my gratitude for reading and with this kiss, kiss, kiss: