Five years. I can’t believe time has gone by so fast, but it’s been five years since the very first edition of Carter’s Treasure was published. A lot has changed since then! I’m doing large giveaways to celebrate both on the Writerspace contest page, and on my own sites. For my personal giveaway, to enter, simply share a buy link of any of my books on FB, Instagram or Twitter and be sure to tag me. The more you share, the more entries you’ll have. I’ll draw one lucky winner on July 1st.
I wanted to take a minute though and think about the people closest to me who let me reach for the stars. My husband and three amazing kids. Obviously, time has touched us all. He won’t admit it, but my husband has a handful of gray hairs. Let me ask, why is it that men get better with age? So not fair!!! Though we still run our own company and work more hours than my brain can handle these days, he still supports this dream of mine. He’s never doubted me, only wished for success, actually his exact words were, “can you just become rich and famous so I can retire”. I’d love to honey, trust me, and with every book, a piece of me holds out hope.
My kids, I swear, I don’t know what happened. A few minutes ago, they were little, now I have one in the middle of college, making her way down a path toward a nursing career. The second is scouring information on colleges near and far, looking into chemistry-oriented careers such as pharmacy. I told her, with their love of makeup, maybe she should check into that! How cool would that be? And then there is the youngest. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen his passion. Self-taught I might add, though he’s now going to our local School of Rock. I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say, “I have no clue where he got it!” If my life depended upon me playing an instrument or singing, I’d…well…lol.
I spent last weekend at Lori Foster’s RAGT, and was asked when, where, why I started writing. I forget how many people don’t know. I was never supposed to be a writer, I love reading, hoard books and have met most of my best friends through this writing world, however, I feel like I was lucky. Right out of high school my husband and I have owned our own IT company. It’s sometimes all-consuming. However, when our son was younger, he raced motocross. Combine that with a husband who travels, and me—someone that can’t sleep without him home, beside me—and stir. The end result was the first two books in the Racing to Love series, both written within a three-week time span. I know, I look back and think oh my God, I had to have been exhausted. But I wasn’t, it was a pure adrenaline rush.
That excitement doesn’t fade. When a book comes together, when release day approaches, my stomach is in knots. Will it be liked? Will it flop? What could I have done different? And then, one kind comment will come in and it makes it all worth it.
I’ve tried very hard over the years to always put my family first. I can’t go to multiple events a year because their activities are time spent I’ll never get back if I miss them. I want to look back and have no regrets. I seriously doubt our youngest even remembers back before I started writing. Our older two, though I have a sneaky suspicion they’re proud, they don’t shout from the roof-tops that their mother writes love stories. They laugh and say it reminds them of Chandler’s mother on an episode of Friends. Was it Joey’s mom? No, it was Chandler’s, right? I swear—told you my brain was mush!
I wouldn’t be where I am today with these four, amazing people in my life. They give me strength, hope, and ideas—because they crack me up! I say this because, not to turn a fun post sad, but to drive a point home. Last week, we lost my husband’s grandfather. I always had a deep respect for a man who seemed to have a quiet insight to him. He was strong, silent, ex-military and extremely creative. He passed the day before I was to board a plane for RAGT. I was so conflicted, the guilt was eating me. However, my husband, sensing my own distress said, “Go. You need to do this.” Of course, I had one of my very best friends waiting for me at the airport with arms open, knowing what a hard decision it had been. But my husband knew I wouldn’t board the plane unless he made me.
A writing career isn’t simply an author, pen and paper anymore. It takes so many people, both professionally and socially to accomplish the goal of another book and another, and another. But more—it takes a family willing to stand behind you, no matter what. And for that, I’ll be forever grateful.
So, I celebrate five years of being published, five years of unwavering support from my family and five years of the best readers, best friends and the most fun a girl from very humble beginnings could have ever…ever…ever imagined, hoped or dreamed of!
Thank each and every one of you, from the bottom of my heart.
Love and hugs,
A