Lucky Number 7

This past Thursday was my seven year publiversary. Things have been kind of crazy around here lately (including hustling to get my latest book to my editor), so I kind of let it pass me by without much fanfare. But then it hit me. It's been...

Two thousand five hundred and fifty-five days since this girl put her first book baby out into the world.

Eighty-four months of making book friends in the form of other authors and readers.

Seven whole years of creating worlds and characters that has resulted in sixteen books, novellas, and/or stories.

What a wild ride it's been so far!

It hasn't always been easy. There have been times where I've felt very alone in my journey. Times where I've cried out of frustration and feeling like a failure. Times where I wanted to quit.

But then I remembered that the things we treasure the most never come to us easy. That everyone has felt alone in this journey at one point or another. That it's okay to be frustrated, to feel like a failure, as long as you let it out an move on with things. And that's it's okay to take a break if things get to be too much.

Then there's that girl inside me that won't let me quit because I'm frustrated or feeling like a failure. She's a stubborn thing, constantly reminding me that if I do quit, it'll be on my terms and I'll go out on a high note. Because writing books is what I've wanted to do-in some shape, form, or fashion-since I was around thirteen years old. And we don't give up on dreams because the journey to achieve them is hard.

The things that keep me going? The feeling of accomplishment of typing 'the end' on a book, especially the ones I fought tooth and nail to finish. The thrill of seeing my covers on various retailers (I get a little tingle when I see my books being bought internationally!). Then there's the feeling of pride when someone tells me they've enjoyed my stories (I may get a little misty-eyed at those). Not to mention watching a novel I've worked so hard on climb the book ranks. I imagine it's how an adrenaline junkie feels finding a new rollercoaster!

Thank so very much to everyone who has ever had a part in the journey. There aren't enough words to show appreciated you truly are. And here's to another seven years of creating new places, characters, and books. Of making new friends, authors and readers alike. And of chasing the dream, even when it's hard.