So this is my first blog post on my first blog. I will admit that my anxiety has been through the roof this week. For years, I have dreamed of making my way through life as a writer. I can remember as a child, I just kind of walked around in a fantasy world. I have never had a hard time entertaining myself. My imagination just takes off and I'm transported into a new world. I can be anyone! I can do anything and go anywhere. I can have grand adventures, great love affairs, and survive great tribulations.

This is what literature does to me. It transforms me.

I started writing down my stories. I recently completed my first novel, which I started during National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. I fell in love with my characters. I felt their heartaches and celebrated with them in their joy. I wrote something that I am truly proud of. I actually completed it in late 2014. My love for my story kept me from sharing it with anyone else. My inner critic kept screaming "What if they don't like it?!?!" The negative self-talk that I kept having made me feel protective and fearful.

Now don't get me wrong. I know that I have room to grow as a writer. I welcome constructive feedback. However, I have spent too much time reading book reviews to ever think that some reviewers will be kind in their appraisal. But, I realized recently that I will have to take the bad with the good. I have to face my fear if I am ever to live my dream. As much as I dream, I can't fathom never at least giving myself a chance to live the life I imagine.

On Saturday, July 17, 2015, I took the plunge and self-published my story, A Secret and A Kiss, on Amazon. I had sent my manuscript out to a few places and either received a respectful "Your story is great, but it doesn't meet our editorial needs at this time," kind of response...or I was greeted with absolute radio silence. A bit discouraging, to be honest.

I am now lost in the quagmire of figuring out my market strategy. My inner child keeps having a temper tantrum. I'm an artist, not a business-person, for God's sake! Well, I guess that's not true anymore...I have to figure out a way to be both.

I'm hugely excited about taking this next step in my life. I'm trying, rather unsuccessfully at times, to not obsess overly much about every little thing about my writing.

I'm also diligently working on the second installment in the Western Dreams series. This will be Warner's story...so here's hoping that he gets his Happily Ever After.

I'm working on getting mine, as well.

Love,

Regina