Finishing Lines

It is a strange and complicated thing to finish and publish a book.  You work for years in all different phases to get to a point.  The point is one where you can finally see the end.  You know that it is not anything resembling an ultimate destination.  It is simply a moment where one thing ends and the next dozen journeys begin.  It is exciting to come close to arriving at this place.  Those hours spent working, re-working, and struggling are about to give way to new challenges...The design needs to be finalized. How is the layout going to look? How is it going to play to a reader? Will people read it?  When I look back in a few years will it still be something I am going to proud of? These are questions that sometimes get answered decisively, and sometimes will never get answered at all.  You do your best with all you know and hope that experience, judgment, and ambition carries you along the finish line.  Even if a new race starts ten minutes later.