Aspiring Author turns Struggling Writer

Time to discuss my journey to becoming an author of picture books… brace yourself …

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So after getting an associates degree from college and graduating the dental assistant program … I started my career … and to be honest … I never went into dental assisting as a passion …

• I felt lost when I was spending all this money on college but had no real passion on what I wanted for a career
• I heard the Dental Assisting Program was only 1 year and it is good money
• It was such a difficult year .. because those programs are NO JOKE
• After graduating, I felt so proud and motivated (Hoping I would gain passion once I started working)
• I finally ended up at an office that I LOVED (everything from the patients, to coworkers, to the dentist was amazing !)
• But still … NO PASSION
• Plus … I kept getting pregnant and leaving hahaha
• After baby number 2 (my Vannah girl) was about 9-10 months old … I decided to quit and become a full time stay at home mother
• I was thrilled to be with my 2 babies but I was never used to NOT working
• Then shortly after that .. I had my 3rd child .. and I have to say… I finally felt like this is what I was put on Earth to do ( be a stay at home mother.. sharing moments with my children and being the best role model I could possibly be)

But what brought me to writing ??? Fast Forward 2 years later…

• I was reading books every night to my children before bedtime and decided to start making up my own stories
• I would include my children by asking what they would want my story to be about
• One night .. my daughter Layla said RAINBOWS and BUBBLES (obviously children love both of those)
• I started telling a story that included both but taught a really nice life lesson (so I decided .. I NEED TO WRITE THIS DOWN)
• Each night I would read this book to my children (title: RAINBOW BUBBLES) and they would light up!
• I absolutely loved their reaction .. so I decided to keep writing more stories (to this date … I have now wrote 11 books)
• They honestly became my biggest fans! I also read to their class and the teachers and children loved them !
• I still didn’t think to pursue anything until I went to a psychic/medium ( Not everyone has to believe in this stuff … but for some reason .. it created what I am about to tell….)
• This Psychic/Medium told me that I was going to become a published author and do very well with that (I was shocked! No one .. besides my children , husband, and the classmates knew that I wrote stories)
• I ended up telling my good friend that night .. who was shocked to hear I wrote books.. she decided to tell me a coworker of hers, just published a picture book
• I of course stalked and figured out the Publishing Company and grew a pair … I sent them Rainbow Bubbles and in 3 weeks … I received a phone call that would honestly change my life..
• The phone call was from the Publishing Company and they were very interested in publishing my book!
• I was stunned to say the least!
• I honestly couldn’t comprehend that my book was good enough to be noticed
• After another 3 weeks, 4 separate phone calls, countless interviews.. the company discussed that my book was at the end stretch to becoming published, but would be brought to a meeting with the CEO to make the final call…
• It was a Friday .. and I wouldn’t even leave my house .. my phone was glued to me .. while I anxiously waited for the call
• At 5:30pm, I received an email that they decided to go with another choice …
• The tears streamed down my face … and my date night with my husband turned into … drowning my sorrows in tequila (ooooops haha)
• But the let down did not even compare to the fire that was lit inside
• I AM GOOD ENOUGH!
• I decided that this was the passion I always looked for! I absolutely loved writing in school and won some awards when I was younger for writing contests.. but it never was a thought in my head to pursue that as a career .. until that moment .. until I had some kind of reassurance.. and the journey took off from there..
• I continued writing so many more books, and continued sending to that Publishing company (they have now declined 4 of my books haha)
• I also sent to a few other Publishers (some denials, some have not gotten back to me.. and another publishing company offered me a deal to go in half with them to publish) (my gut told me that other publisher wasn’t the right fit at this time.. so I decided to pass on that opportunity) I try to ALWAYS listen to my gut!
• Then after tons of research… I decided to attempt getting a literary agent (let me tell you … this became more defeating than sending to Publishers)
• I have sent numerous books to about 40 agents … and have had about 21 denials so far (talk about a reality check! Haha)
• In the past .. I would have given up. This is how I know that this is my PASSION!
• It honestly doesn’t matter how many people tell me NO, NOPE, NOT HAPPENING… I am going to make this happen !
• I am investing my all into this! If I have to self publish years down the road … I WILL 🙂 But hopefully someone out there will recognize my passion behind this and I can officially say I am an AUTHOR… but for now… I’ll just introduce myself as a STRUGGLING WRITER haha

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