My First Step Into the World as an Author:

If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be writing a blog post as a published author, I probably would’ve laughed so hard I’d nearly fall out of my chair. It just didn’t feel like something that could actually happen. But here we are. The book is done. It’s real. I can hold it in my hands and flip through pages that used to be nothing more than random thoughts in my head. Honestly? It's mind-blowing!

When I first started, I wasn’t thinking about publishing. Heck, I wasn’t even thinking about finishing. I just had this little idea that wouldn’t leave me alone. It followed me everywhere, in the shower, while driving, even when I was trying to fall asleep. Eventually I gave in and started typing, thinking it would be a fun side project. But then I told Megan, one of my best friends and my editor, that I was writing a story and she got very excited. She began to plan calls every Thursday at 7:00pm where she would encourage me to write for those two hours while she went back through to edit my poor spelling and typos. Then, before I knew it, the characters started feeling like actual people. They had personalities, voices, and a habit of popping into my thoughts at the most random times. At that point, I knew I couldn’t just walk away from them.

The thing is, writing isn’t all sunshine and perfectly flowing words. There were days when I couldn’t stop typing because the story was coming so fast I could barely keep up. And then there were days when I stared at one stubborn sentence for hours, wondering if I should just delete the whole thing and start over. Some days I felt like I was writing the best book in the world, and other days I was convinced it was complete garbage. (Spoiler: that’s apparently normal for authors.) 

I wrote in all kinds of places: at my desk late at night, in coffee shops, in my car during lunch breaks, at school during my study hall, even curled up on the couch or my bed with a blanket. Writing has a way of barging into your life whenever it feels like it.

And now that the book’s out in the world? Well…it’s exciting, but it’s also kind of scary. When you publish something, you’re basically handing strangers a piece of your heart and saying, “Here, hope you like it!” I’ve definitely had my share of “What if they hate it?” moments. But I’ve also had this overwhelming sense of gratitude.

This book wouldn’t exist without the people who kept cheering me on, the friends who asked how it was going, my amazing beta readers who gave honest feedback, Megan, who reminded me I could do this even when I wasn’t so sure. You all made such a huge difference, and I don’t think you’ll ever know how much it meant to me. 

I want this blog to be a place where I share the real stuff, not just the “Yay, my book’s out!” moments, but also the messy, behind-the-scenes parts of the writing life. The late nights, the unexpected challenges, the little wins that no one else sees. If you’ve ever dreamed about writing your own story, I hope you’ll see that it’s possible…even if it’s messy and imperfect.

If you’ve already grabbed a copy of my book, thank you! I hope you get pulled into the story, connect with the characters, and maybe even find yourself staying up way too late because you need to read “just one more chapter.” And if you’re new here, welcome! You’re catching me right at the start of my author journey, and I’m so glad you are.

Here’s to the first chapters, in books, in life, and in chasing the ideas that won’t stop bugging you until you write them down. This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.