TGIO, or Thank God It’s Over, happened twice for me this year. The first, a bittersweet moment when I penned the words “The End” onto the last signature of my writing journal. That’s the hardest moment, the time when I’ve got to say goodbye to the world I’ve created.

I spent 17 days, living in the world of Autumn Chase. A world where magic lives and good triumphs over evil with nothing more than the power of intellect. I loved writing about the lives of my characters, their journey of uncovering information, and exposing the darker side of what could exist in our world. After spending all that time in this world, it’s hard to let it go. This year, once I shut the book, it made the transition from that world back to my world, more real. When I went to bed, that night, I cried a bit. I wasn’t ready to let go. Is any writer really ready for that moment?

Today I experienced the second TGIO moment. This one, of more excitement, happens when I plug in the full draft of my manuscript into the “Official NaNoWriMo Validator.” This is the moment of truth, when I hold my breath, and watch as the website puts the words “WINNER” in big purple letters across my Green bar. My smile widens and then I hurriedly download both my winner’s badge and certificate. It’s also the moment that I proudly tell anyone and everyone that I AM A WINNER and a novelist for another year.

So, there you have it folks. I’m a NaNoWriMo 2008 winner! I’ve completed my 7th full first draft of a novel and can proudly say (and bear the writer’s bump to prove it) that I did it all by my own hands.