Shutting down the E-zine

Today I sent out the farewell issue of the Burning the Midnight Oil Book Zine.

You can check it out here:

http://lists.topica.com/lists/BurningMidnightOil/read/message.html?mid=812968130&sort=d&start=0

You can also check it out at the dmcwriter site here:

http://dmcwriter.tripod.com/id42.html

This decision did not come easily for me. This year was different from the last in that I was able to get each issue out EVERY month, with virtually everything it promised to readers. However, after the birth of my second child, my ability to keep up with it started to waiver. I was worried I wouldn't be able to devote as much time to it as before.

But there is an even bigger reason why I gradually decided to close it down. Change is in the wind, and I feel it. I FEEL it! Something big is headed my way in my life and I just won't have the time for this E-zine like I used to. I have absolutely no idea what that change is, only that it is....THERE. And so I know I must close down this E-zine. I must part ways with it.

I told myself I wasn't going to be sad, but when I saw the final issue online, my heart sank. I take solace in the fact that it looks good and offers some pretty inspirational material for readers, but after doing this E-zine for over 3 years, I've grown so attached to it. I was proud of the work I put into it (all by myself!) and I felt privileged to be a part of the "E-zine publisher" crowd.

Still, this must be done. There are other reasons why I decided to shut it down, which I'd rather not go into detail here, but the BIG MAIN REASON is because life is taking a turn for me in 2008, and I know I must be ready for whatever it is God has planned for me.

I'm grateful for the experience of having published an E-zine. I'm grateful for the lessons I had to learn the hard way and for ALL of the support and advice other E-zine publishers have given to me. I am grateful for their friendship, as well. It was an honor to be a part of their crowd and I won't be ending this experience with a single bad memory during the time they were all there for me.

The readers were there for me, too. Their emails touched me, inspired me and brought joy to my heart. I am thankful I was able to use this E-zine as a means of bringing joy to theirs.

As I said in the editorial, I'll continue to write about my experiences as a writing parent. I'll continue to write articles and put together "writing parent tips" should new ones come to me. Whether or not all of that will find a way into print remains to be seen. Who knows, it just may mean a new book.