A tribute to a wonderful woman.

I've been meaning to write about my friendship with a woman from across the sea for ages. Work got in my way. Revisions, editing and a book launch all took time. But now, I have a moment. My words will take so much more.

Where should I start this tale? Place: England.

Five years ago, I joined the Internet Writing Workshop with what I thought was a finished novel, Still Rock Water. I'd taken several online classes on writing and wanted to learn more. I didn't even know how much work my writing would need to reach a publishing standard. But I found out with the help of many other writers who all looked at each other's work, chapter by chapter over the weeks, months, years.

One of those other writers: Edith Parzefall with her Strays of Rio, reached out to me from Germany with such sound, gentle assistance that we became good friends. On the internet, it doesn't matter how far apart anyone lives. With a time difference of only and hour, our communication was easy, whereas someone in America might need half a day to reply in cyberspace.

Both of our books are now published after years of work and many rejections.

See Strays of Rio here.

Edith gave her help without counting the cost. She's marvelous with working out a plot and knowing where a scene should be added or when one should be removed because it's boring or not needed. What greater gift can one person give another than their time and patience? Everything else pales by comparison.

Her generosity extended to sharing marketing tips and materials.

You see, we wrote a series of four books together, starting several years ago. I came up with an idea of using my characters, who'd been reincarnated into a future world after the great flood destroyed civilization. I started the first novel with a young couple, who met after a tragic event. Edith Jumped in and introduced other characters. She took over the men--she's good with action.

Then she wove the two stories together until each group met at the end. She entwined the stories with such skill that nobody would know they started as separate stories. That's writing!

Double Dragon Publishing released the first book, Wind Over Troubled Waters, months ago. The other three novels will follow every six months. Look out for Knights in Dark Leather in November.

We've planned a meeting for over a year—after all, we're not too far apart. On each occasion, something got in the way. I feel I know Edith and I'm saving a big hug for when I meet her in the flesh.