I wrote a novel.

Really, I had two options. I could either sit here and live in fear. Fear of rejection, failure, ridicule, criticism…the list goes on. Or, I could live in hope. Hope in whatever is to come. Hope that I could actually make this work for myself. Hope that someday, when I walk into a bookstore, I could look at my published first novel and make 15-year-old me super proud.

I chose hope. And so, I’m telling the world. I finished my first novel.

So…what’s next? Finding an agent. Agents help authors find the right book editors and publishing houses, which in return gets your book on the shelves. This process is grueling. I’ve been pitching to agents since December (I finished writing my first draft in November), and have only gotten rejections so far. But kind ones—encouragement to keep going and to keep looking for the right agent for my book.

Sadly, I let the rejections get to me, and I really shouldn’t. Those agents are right! I want to find someone who’s perfect for my writing style and my type of book, as well as someone who can be a cheerleader for all the books I want to write in the future. So I have to be patient, even if I feel incredibly impatient as the days progress!

Right now I’m in the process of doing some revisions. I’ve handed out a few copies to some trusted friends to give me feedback, and they’ve all been incredibly helpful so far. The draft keeps getting stronger and stronger, and I really feel confident in the story.

I’m not going to divulge the details quite yet, but I will tell you this: food is a huge part of this book. Are you even surprised?! We all saw that coming from a mile away! This book will *hopefully* feature recipes of my own to match some of the important meals the characters eat together, meals that matter heavily in the story that’s being told. It’s all making me so excited…and so hungry.

I’m posting this today to tell you one thing: Follow your dreams. Do the thing you’ve always wanted to do. Because if 2020 taught us anything, it’s to not take any day for granted. Don’t waste the amazing talent that you have. Take a chance and do that thing. Step out of fear, and step into hope.