Obligatory shout-out to Kevin, who didn't flinch too badly when I said I wanted to quit a third of my job (and take a commensurate pay cut). I am thinking now of when I first moved out here to Chicago to join him, still in grad school. In theory, I was supposed to be on fellowship for two years while I wrote my dissertation (Bodies in Motion), but the second year of fellowship funding was cut due to investment issues with the fund. He supported me while I finished writing the book, and it surely is a better book for my not needing to have a day job then.
At one point somewhere in there I asked him if he'd support me if I wanted to try writing full-time. It'd mean living in a smaller place, of course, cutting back the budget in various other ways. But he said, "sure."
Then I asked him if he'd still support me as a writer if he actually thought I was a bad writer. And he said, "probably." Now that's love.
I've acknowledged him in a few of my books now, but really, there should be an "Ode to the Artist's Supportive Partner." Someone should write one of those.
