I must admit I was reluctant. The thought of standing up in front of a room half-filled with strangers and half-filled with friends while I read out loud from “Table for Six” was more than a little intimidating. It’s one thing to write your life story for everyone to consume — it’s another thing entirely to stand up and read it.

But as part of her Year of Exploration, my dear friend Nicole’s steering committee had challenged her to share her memoir. And I wanted to be there with her… and for her.

And so, “Voices & Vino” was born.

Saturday night, we gathered at The Rathskellar to conduct a live memoir reading for 60 of our dear friends and family members. The ever-steady and most-fabulous Liz organized and emceed the evening for us, pinot noir was ordered, flowers were handed out, pretzels were dipped in some yummy horseradish mustard, and Chris tended to all our amplification needs… in addition to serving as Liz’s eye candy for the evening.

Throughout the evening, my cheeks were rosier than my wine, but I’ll attribute that to the warmth of the Willkie Blue Room. And, perhaps, the over-exertion of my racing heart. It was, in fact, beating more rapidly than it was during mile 26 of my November marathon.

But we did it.

We stood. We read. We survived.

(Videos coming soon…)

During my second reading, I introduced Catherine and Anne — two of the main characters in “See How They Run.” The writing was still a bit raw, the characters both more than edgy, and my nerves were jangled. I apologized to my mom in advance for dropping the “F” bomb and for reading about vibrators in public.

But overall, it was a success. It was wonderful. It was a delight to bask in the love and support of so many important people in my life. I felt safe, cocooned, sheltered.

This writing journey is a constant learning process. I thought it was most difficult to release a work to the public. Then I stood in front of a crowd with my open book in front of me, and I was sure that was the most difficult part of authorship. Then I sat down to write the next novel. And that, suddenly, became the most difficult part.

Every step is a challenge, every step a reward. The trip is far from over.

But I’m so damn excited to be traveling.