Evans World Headquarters sits in the middle of a quiet street, bordered on each side by cul-de-sacs, and therefore prone to scant little traffic. We know the sounds of our neighbors’ cars. We know what goes on around us.

We know the sound of the FedEx truck, too.

Hot Wife and I heard it simultaneously. The transmission growled as it approached our house, and then it idled to a stop.

“I think that’s it,” I said from my desk.

“Race you,” she said. And together we bounded out the door, sprinting to the curb before the FedEx delivery man could even step down from his big white truck.

“Daniel Evans?” he asked.

“Yeah. That’s me. I’m him.”

“Hear you go,” he said, handing me a white plastic envelope. I handled it, fondled it, felt a book inside.

“It’s it,” I said to Hot Wife.

“Well, open it!”

I tried. I pulled at the envelope but couldn’t open it. Hot Wife disappeared for a moment and then reappeared with scissors. She took the package from my hand and cut the top off.

“Can I present it to you?” she asked.

“No. I want to pull it out of there.”

I reached into the pouch, felt the pages touch my fingers, and grabbed it.

It was my book. It was the final version—the same one you’ll get if you walk into a bookstore and buy it. It was the culmination of 15 months of impatience, obsession, distraction, and the hardest work I’ve ever done.

We're happy.

####

I’ve been invited to appear on two different Internet radio shows Thursday morning. If you’re so inclined, please tune into:

Morning Sex with The Mominatrix (aka, Kristen Chase of Motherhood Uncensored)
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mominatrix
10:30 am EST (7:30 PST)

Nupoppa (with, among others, Jason Avant of Pet Cobra)
http://nupoppa.sprnetwork.com/
2 pm EST (11 am PST)