Ending a novel is its own special cirlce of hell. And circle is a good word for it, really, because you’ve got to bring the events set in motion in the beginning round to the end. Obviously. (Oh, how much fun it is to state the obvious.)

Well, I’ve got the ending-ending. The last scene. I know how it ends–who dies, who leaves, that sort of thing. And I’ve got the lead up to the grand finale. But I’ve also got this terrible gap in between. Now, take Harry Potter (regardless of how much you love it or how much you want to take it to trash…I just want an example!). Rowling starts her series with certain characters. Other characters join the trip. One way or another she gets a great many of these characters at Hogwarts for the big finish. Contortions are required, but they get there. And I did so love the ending. A pitch perfect ending.

But I haven’t figured out my contortins to get my character where i need them to be–all together on a bridge. I know what happens once they’re there (hey–did somebody fall in the water?), but giving each necessary character a reason to be there at the same time as everybody else…well, I might lose my mind.

Anyone who doubts JK Rowlings ability to keep seven books worth of story in order and all those characters where they should be, has never written a book.