9 Years

I've been writing novels with Angie for nine years as of today. We go back further if we count writing screenplays and even further if we include me helping her with her high school plays.

That's a long partnership.

I've put up resistance for quite a bit of it. Not against working with her—well, maybe sometimes—but mainly with the idea that I'd only publish with her.

I always dreamed I'd write my own books and my own screenplays and that I'd go it alone.

Yet, that never happened.

I'd try. I'd get outlines, make plans, and get all my ducks in a row....but it would never happen.

I tried to find ways to get around it. More plans, shorter stories, whatever I could do... but still, nothing.

And then, a few years ago, I realized a simple truth: working with Angie makes me better as an author. (I think it makes her better too, but I don't want to assume things.)

Sitting in a room, bouncing ideas around, hashing out problems, and of course, writing the damn thing—it's all better with her.

She gives me perspective, focus, and resistance. Sometimes, having to pitch an idea to her or arguing a choice leads us to clarity.

But most importantly, she's willing to try things and see where they go. Sometimes, we get lost, and it takes us a while to get back, but when we do, we're wiser than before. I think you need that in a partnership.

So yeah, nine years is a long time (and as I said, it's been even longer). But we're still going, still trying things, and dreaming of what we'll do next. And I'm happy to be working with her all these years.