Thank You, Patrons

I try to thank you guys often, but because it's #ThankYouPatrons day I thought I'd make a special post here. 

Prior to 2010, the longest I'd ever held a single job in my life was about four years. I left that job (doing database programming for an animal research center--it was a fantastic job and the only one I've had since getting my Zoology degree that actually made use of it) for a job in the "real" world. That job was a nightmare that lasted three months before I moved to California to get away from it. In California, I worked for a consulting firm for three years and eight months until that firm went bankrupt, for a tech startup for two years before getting laid off, for another startup for three years before leaving an uncomfortable situation for a better job, where the executives over me changed around and I got laid off just under three years later. 

That was eight years ago, or will be in about three weeks. Since that time I've been a full-time writer, and I've treated it as a full-time job with responsibilities to you, my customers. It grows clearer every year that this is the best job I've ever had in my life. It's hard for a writer to make a living, but what you guys have done here is make that easier for me. When things are all going well, my house has two other incomes to supplement it, but right now things are not optimal, let's say. But we're not worried. We have savings, and we have Patreon. I'm not a full time writer earning enough to pay for pizza night now and then. I'm earning enough to put significant money toward house bills, keeping us from anxiety, keeping Kit from having to take the first job that comes along (which he might hate), which makes him happier, which makes me happier.

That's the easy-to-see thing, the number on my home page that stays pretty constant month to month. People drop off, people join up, but most of you are very patient and generous. The other thing, though, the other thing is that you guys have kept me on track with Love Match for four years now. Every week I have to have a part ready to go because I can't let you down, and that moves the book forward. This Dev and Lee book that I'm parceling out to the $20+ patrons took me a year to write, and part of that was because I didn't have pressure to write it every week (part of it was because I had to reprioritize other things, and Love Match often got priority over it, so there's that). But your presence and enthusiasm for the writing I post makes a difference. It makes writing less of a solitary endeavor. When I post a part and people react in the comments, it makes me happy because I get that instant feedback of people enjoying my work. 

So whether you're just dropping a few bucks in every month or actively commenting, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You guys are a big part of the reason that I'm loving my life right now. Hugs all around.