One Defining Moment

First and foremost, I’d like to announce that I have officially finished the third draft of my novel, Sliding into Love. I’m shooting for an early November release for my debut novel. Currently, my mom and sisters are reading as a few of my beta readers. I know a lot of authors and other people in the writing community are against family members as beta readers because they feel the family won’t be honest, but my family doesn’t sugarcoat anything; especially my sisters.

Anyone who knew my uncle knew he was a die-hard Cowboys’ fan.

Today is a bittersweet day for me. It’s a defining moment that will forever be etched in my heart. Six years ago I lost my uncle/writing hero to stage 4 cancer. It was so defining to me because it was the first time I really experienced a loss. And even though it was six years ago, I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I was eating circus peanuts while attending a live webinar for the college I was enrolled in when we got the call. Not only did it take me an entire year to force myself to eat circus peanuts again, but after that day I never attended a live webinar for my school again.

Another reason why this day is so defining is because I almost gave up on my dream of writing. Because he wouldn’t be writing anymore, I felt that I shouldn’t write anymore either. Somehow, my older sister knocked some sense into me.

Six years ago, if anyone would’ve told me I’d be working towards publishing a novel, I would’ve called them a liar.

With finishing the third draft of my novel so close to death of his anniversary, and when I almost gave up on my dream, I can’t help but think this was a little sign from my uncle, telling me to continue following my dream!