“Dreams don’t work unless you take action. The surest way to make your dreams come true is to live them.” — Roy T. Bennett

Believe it or not, this wasn’t the blog post that I’d planned for today.

It’s an impromptu post based on an email that I received at 4:37 PM yesterday from my phenomenal editor, Mandy Shunnarah. I couldn’t contain my excitement about my book journey any longer.

Her email read:
I’m glad good things are happening, and I hope you’re prepared for even more because your book is 99.9% done and will be finished this week! I’m so excited for you! I’ll have this ready for you soon. Start planning your launch party.

(I’m pretty sure I read her email at least TEN times!) I’m not kidding.

My reply was:
Thank you so much, Mandy! I can’t believe this is happening! I’m still questioning if I wrote a book. It’s so surreal. Something I never thought I was capable of doing. Tears are flowing as I’m typing this. I’m having a meltdown in my car. So many emotions. Words can’t describe how I feel. To know that I finished something I thought was impossible for me to achieve is overwhelming. I can’t thank you enough, Mandy. You have helped me through this journey, and I admire you and your work ethic so much. You’ve embraced me as a writer, encouraged me, and supported me. You’ve done more than you’ll ever know.

Writing a book is such a journey.

Twelve years ago, I toyed with the notion of writing a book over and over again. But the evil little voice in my head told me lies, and I listened to it. My insecurities gripped me — and yet again —another year passed with my dream dangling in the wind. There was no rough draft. There was no manuscript. There was no published book. I was utterly frustrated with myself. Aargh!

But God is good, and He never gives up on me. He lit a fire under me, and for the past 2.5 years, I’ve been writing my first book. I’ll be very transparent. It’s challenging to write a book. But also, it’s one of the most gratifying accomplishments in my life. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

And I couldn’t have done it without the support of my husband. He’s encouraged me when I wanted to give up. He’s believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. And he’s cheered me on when I’ve felt like a failure and not good enough. He’s picked up my slack when I was too tired to do anything else. But most importantly, he’s loved me through the process.

All of the late nights of writing, taking my rough drafts to my daughter’s soccer practices, writing during my lunch breaks, pulling over on the side of the road to make notes in my phone if I had an idea, sending my husband numerous text messages of ideas throughout the day, jotting down ideas in my notebook at dinner, listening to the RISE podcasts for inspiration, reading Rachel Hollis‘ Girl, Stop Apologizing and Girl, Wash Your Face, Own Your Everyday by Jordan Doodley, and She Means Business by Carrie Green for motivation to continue writing my book, becoming a prayer warrior and reading the works of Pricilla Shirer, and joining a women’s writing organization, See Jane Write to become a better writer and finish my book.

The list goes on and on.

Though I still have the publishing process to conquer, I’m hopeful that my book release is coming sooner than later. Stay tuned for Girl, You Write’s monthly newsletter, and connect with Girl, You Write’s Facebook and Instagram page for all of my book updates.

I’m so grateful that I’m experiencing what it’s like to work hard towards my dreams. All of my fears, doubts, apprehensions, displaced comfort zone, and future fears of the unknown are shaping me into the writer I want to become.

What’s your dream?