40 Years!
Wow! Just Wow!
Forty years is one of those round numbers that makes you come up short. Forty years ago Kris I met when I picked her up to take her up to Taos for a writer’s conference. We have been together ever since.
And to say we have had some adventures would be the world’s biggest understatement. Far, far too many adventures to even go into, but I will admit a lot of them are fun for the two of us to remember together. And mostly laugh or shake our heads in amazement that we made it through.
And now, after forty years, we are both well, both still making each other laugh, and both still publishing and writing. We met because a writer by the name of Algis Budrys thought we both had promise and invited us to a special workshop. And even though we were both broke, we both decided to go.
And that invite and that decision on both of our parts changed everything. I love you, Rusch. It has been a wild ride and I got a hunch it is far, far from over.

28 Comments
Joseph Cleary
Congratulations! This is always my favorite post of the year.
Mike Southern
Congratulations, you two! And may you have many more happy anniversaries!
Vincent Zandri
Way to go you guys! Congrats!
Anne Lown
Congratulations to both of you on a life well lived and an anniversary well deserved.
Timothy
Congratulations to you both on your 40 year anniversary!
Ryan
Congratulations! It’s great to see you both still going strong!
Emilia
Congratulations! Always love hearing you talk about meeting Kris in the lectures and workshop videos.
Rob Vagle
Happy Anniversary to a great couple! And two of my favorite people in the whole wide world!
Colleen
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Two great people having a great time. There’s a story (or three!) in there!
Kris Rusch
I love you too, Smitty. Every day has been better with you in it.
Steve Perry
Way to go, kids!
John Ginn
Congratulations to you both. That’s an amazing run.
Laura Ware
40 years is an achievement worth celebrating. Congrats!
Melissa Yi
You still smile at her like this. Congrats.
Ginny Kruse Rudolph
Kris is such an amazing woman and one of my all-time favorite students. Her talent as a writer, a perceptive thinker, and just an incredibly delightful person have impressed me beyond words (and emojis). It sounds like your relationship has been life-giving for both of you, and it gives me great joy to see the success that Kris has had both personally and professionally. Congratulations on 40 years.
Kris Rusc
Ah, Ginny. Thank you! You’re one of my all-time favorite teachers. I learned so much from you. I still use some of your writing exercises when I train writers.
djmills
Happy 40th Meeting Anniversary.
Mark Kuhn
Congrats to you both! Onward to the next 40.
Brian Thomas Woods
Congrats you two!
Aniket
Congratulations Dean and Kris!
Violet
Congratulations. You guys are a striking couple!
Martin Barkawitz
Congrats to you, Kris and Dean!
Mary Jo Rabe
Happy Anniversary!
Diane Wordsworth
Congratulations to you both for yesterday!
Mangala McNamara
You’re an inspiration!
Anne Lown
Congratulations to both of you on a life well lived and an anniversary well deserved.
Amy Keeley
Congratulations to both of you. 🙂 May you have many more happy years together.
Desikan
Congratulations Dean & Kris !!