This week I finished this book. I was very excited when I realized the release date was getting close. Anna is someone I consider to be a dear friend. I rushed to Amazon and ordered it.

You can read her trails and tribulations with RUN AMONG THORNS on her website.

Now I want to tell my experience with this story. Anna and I originally started writing (with the idea of finishing a manuscript and trying to get published) about the same time in 2001. We meet online (naturally she is in the UK and I am way down south in the US). Granted there were many others we were in groups with and chatted with at the time. And of course I took an extended hiatus (4yrs). Anna however, kept going.

Run Among Thorns is a story of her heart (at least I think so). I was one of the lucky ones who back in the day got to read the original version of McWife (RAT now). I always loved Anna’s concept for McWife and the story in general. Reading Run Among Thorns was a wonderful (and) eye opening experience.

I’d like to think I’ve learned a few things about writing since 2001. I know what I’ve written and or revised in the past eight months is a thousand times better than what I wrote in 2001-2003. I have more confidence in my writing (not to say I don’t some days still think it sucks, but not as much).

I got to ‘see’ this in Run Among Thorns. McWife was wonderful. It was a great story filled with gut wrenching emotion and spirit.

Run Among Thorns is in a word – perfect. Anna managed to keep the same emotion and spirit of the story while undertaking rewrites and changes to grow the original story into a stronger more powerful story.

Lots of the same great scenes are there. All of the range of emotions and feelings and voice are there.

It is just a polished published novel now. Where it was a story that shined before now it is a book that gleams.

I am very happy for Anna and Run Among Thorns. I wish her much success!

Also I know McWife was a wonderfully motivating experience for me. It shows me that patience and persistence can payoff. It also proves to me that you can take a good story and make it great without taking away the good stuff!

Thank you Anna.