In September 2021, I signed a contract with Starry Ink Press to publish the first three books of my series, The Light Keeper. We'd been working hard all year and pushing toward a May 30, 2023 release date for the first book. November 2, I got the most heartbreaking email I'd ever received. Starry Ink Press was being forced to close its doors and canceling my contract. 

I broke.

I spoke first to my sister who I knew would first let me cry and share my pain before trying to motivate me to do anything else. She surprised me. She didn't accept my acceptance that my book was done and could no longer be published. She wanted to know everything we had to do to make it see the light of day. I lamented about everything I didn't know how to do and couldn't do on my own without a publisher. She said we'd talk more later, but we weren't through.

Then I prayed.

I thought the publisher was my answered prayer. There had been too many coincidences for it to have happened any other way than if not by design. As I continued to pray for answers, I found my resolve strengthening. I'd waited too long and worked too hard to let circumstances tell me no. Maybe I didn't have all the tools and know-how that my publisher did, but I have resources.

I spent the last year following authors on TikTok and watching their success stories, and I learned from them. They are all Indie Authors and some of them have success that I dream about. God filled my head with two words— I Can.

Imposter syndrome is rampant in the author community. We tell ourselves 1,001 reasons why we'll never be successful. But our own doubts are our biggest hurdle. I can. You can. WE CAN. And I will.

I have a post-it just above my laptop so I can see it every time I sit at my desk. I can. When I made a goal to write 100,000 words in a month, I did. I had faith in myself I could achieve that goal. I have decided to have faith in myself that I can successfully launch my book.

You WILL see The Light Keeper for sale. It WILL have beautiful art and I WILL release collector's edition boxes. I will make sure it is on the bookshelves of my local Barnes and Nobel stores. I WILL make sure my book is available in libraries. I WILL assemble the ARC team and the street-release team. I will shout from the rooftops that my book is available and worthy to be read. When I that little voice creeps into my mind and asks, "what if?" I will look at my post-it and I will remind myself I will because I CAN.

I started this blog and this website to catalogue my path to publication, so get ready. 

For now, if you wish to see some of the content I have written, you can check out my stories on Kindle Vella.