Let me start off this blog with a belated Happy National Author's Day (November 1) to my fellow writers out there!
I love being in a creative field where I can do anything and be anything. I still have pictures of the first newspaper that my article appeared in. I saw it on the front page in a CVS and bought all the copies they had. I got home and I cried. I had successfully published an article.
A number of years ago, I was on the phone with my friend Brandy. She had just come back from her trip to Atlanta, GA where she saw our mutual love, Paula Abdul, perform in concert. Brandy had gotten to meet Paula after the show and wanted to share with me about her experience. We laughed, we cried, and she relived the moments all over again. It was so good to hear her so happy.
Joking around, she told me that she'd love for me to write a book one day about all the times I've gotten to meet Paula. I laughed and brushed the thought aside. Nobody would care about my ramblings on my little obsession with Paula. However, I'd be lying if I said the thought didn't cross my mind all the time.
Paula and I throughout the years
Flash forward to March 2020. Our entire world had been shut down. We were slowly starting to see the effects of the coronavirus. On March 20, I got the phone call from work that I needed to begin the application process for unemployment. This pandemic was taking hold and it wasn't going to let go easily. As I prepared to be confined to my house for two weeks, I bought all the crafts supplies I could think of.
I remember vividly sitting on my front porch in early April. I had a little blue notebook and blue pen in my hand and I was writing down ideas for a potential book. That's when Brandy's idea came to me again. Since I had all the time in the world, why not consider writing this book about Paula?
The thought instantly brought a smile to my face and I had decided that I would really do this thing. That little blue notebook still houses my outline for the book. It started out as a mere seven chapters. Before I began writing it, I had no idea that I had become bored with writing, but I had. I hated my passion and I felt lost.
Few things in life are as freeing as writing is. I can write anywhere as long as I have a pen and paper. Sometimes, I take my laptop and sit outside on a nice day and just write. That's why I love this blog because I can write about any topic that I want and share my thoughts with all of you.
I didn't expect it to happen, but I became obsessed with my manuscript. I'd wake up and run to my desk and I never wanted to walk away from it. My friend Yesenia was a big inspiration as I wrote this book. She was invested from the start. She too at the time had been unemployed due to COVID-19 so I'd call her as soon as I finished another chapter. She was excited and wanting more and more everyday. One day, I managed to write 5 chapters in one sitting.
I never really gave self publishing a thought. It kind of just happened to be something that I decided to explore. When I was looking into places to publish my book, I decided in the end that self publishing was the way to go. I will never forget the way I felt when I saw the proofs, when I got the shipping email, and when the box finally arrived. Opening up that box was a magical experience.
Many of my friends did not know that I had planned on doing this book so I decided to send out a group of packages to them. I told them that when they got it, they had to FaceTime me so I could see them open it. That was another great experience, all of them were absolutely shocked that I had it published.
There is still someone who hasn't gotten a copy yet though, and I'm saving that for a special occasion. Yes, Paula herself doesn't even know that I wrote this book. I will be seeing her later this month and will have the opportunity to finally give it to her. Words can't express how happy and excited I am to present her with this gift of gratitude.
While you read my book, you begin to have an ounce of understanding as to why I love her so much. I take you through my experiences growing up in a new town, finding out who Paula was, meeting her for the first time and so much more. She's truly a part of my life and part of who I am. I take you behind the scenes and into some of the special moments that Paula and I have shared together. You'll meet my friends, who have become like second family. I even talk about my career as a journalist. All in all, the story is my experiences as a major fangirl.
Forever Her Girl: The Stories and Experiences of a Major Fangirl is my pride and joy and it's garnered some pretty sweet attention. I've been interviewed for newspaper articles, I've been on podcasts, I even had a photoshoot with the book after I finished it. I started on this self publishing journey not knowing where it would take me.
The feedback to the book has been absolutely incredible. People have resonated with me and have told me that I'm authentic and real. That's all I've ever wanted, was for people to connect with me on a whole different level. This is the first time in a long time that I felt like my writing is making a difference in the world. To know that my book is floating around out there somewhere in the world is absolutely mind blowing.
If you are a budding author, please take the leap and put your story out there. You doubt yourself and you think your story won't matter. I promise you that someone will pick up your book and fall in love. I never expected people to be interested in my story about how being a fangirl changed my life, but it has. People absolutely love it.
If you want a copy of my book, please reach out to me. I autograph every book that I mail and I'm happy to share my story of how one person influenced me more than anything. Who knows, maybe you'll learn a thing or two about yourself as you read.
Cheers to you book number 1. May there be many more in my writing future.
Signing off,
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