I lost my critique partner, Janna, two weeks ago. She did not die. She did not break up with me. She did not quit writing. No, Janna literally sailed off into the sunset with her husband and two middle school age daughters on what will be a three-year sailing adventure.

I am very mad at her.

Sure, she tells me we’ll still chat, that we’ll still be able to read each other’s work. But really? I’m going to ask her to read half of my novel as she is navigating fifty-mile ice floes and skinny-hungry polar bears in the Northwest Passage? She’s going to want to read my stuff as she homeschools her daughters and boils water for not-frigid sponge-baths? She’s going to help me identify my plot issues while she’s trying to sail very quickly away from squalls and pirates?

Arrrrgh! Me thinks not. [Read more…]