This week has been one heck of a whirlwind. Wait. I mean last week. (See? It’s already gotten  away from me…)

Last week, I spent my Wednesday and Thursday driving to & from Massachusetts to bring this sweet girl to her new home. I am so very glad this cat is now living with one of my dearest friends because I’ll be honest. During the time she was with us, she put down roots in my heart. I will never forget how special she is. (And if I didn’t already have two cats and two dogs, she never would have left our house for sure!)

I came back from Massachusetts and immediately started cleaning house because another wonderful friend (and fellow creative) was headed to my house from Brooklyn on Friday afternoon. Why? Because she wanted to support me in my dream and be there for me during my book launch party and signing for A Thousand Years to Wait. 

I know what you’re thinking.

I have superheroes for friends. 

It’s true. I do. They rescue animals and drive hundreds of miles to cheer on their friends’ creative endeavors.

Speaking of friends, Friday evening, my friends and coworkers at the Exeter Community Library threw a book launch party for A Thousand Years to Wait. As an indie author with my first book, I expected a handful of people and maybe half a dozen book sales. Instead, I spoke to over 50 people and sold 26 books. I hardly had a moment to breathe.

To be fair, about half the people in attendance were friends and family. Some of my friends flew in from California or drove from Pittsburgh or Brooklyn. And my family? My family came from Massachusetts and Connecticut; they drove from Stroudsburg and Bethlehem. I wish I could reward them all for the miles they traveled to support the release of A Thousand Years to Wait and listen to me speak. (Perhaps I need to invent a frequent traveler miles system for my groupies…)

And the party was spectacular. I was surprised with a gorgeous arrangement of flowers, a beautiful cake decorated to look like my book cover, and amazing cookies with my book’s cover in edible ink. Spectacular! I was floored.

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But what was even more spectacular than anything were the perfect strangers who showed up—the people who didn’t know me beyond the library’s advertisements for the launch party. People who wanted to hear about writing, about the process, about persistence, and about the journey I took to get where I am. That was surely the most wonderful surprise of all!

To every aspiring author out there, never think you can’t make it happen. You can. You will. And when you do? Well, I hope you have the same support from friends, family, & community. The journey will never NOT be difficult, but times like this make it oh-so-worth-it!