"The moment that you feel, just possibly, you are walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind, and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself... That is the moment you might be starting to get it right." ― Neil Gaiman
The Guardian of Whispers' book birthday is February 1, 2024! 🥳🎂
It took me:
⌚ 10 years
🖊 3 rewrites
📚 4 drafts
✍️ 5 rounds of editing
😩 an immense amount of courage
🤪 a bit of wildness
to write the book.
It can be nerve-wracking to send your art out into the world. At some point, you must let it go and believe it is enough. I will always want to make changes if allowed, but eventually, I must send my work into the wild.
When my first book was released, it felt how I imagined skydiving would feel. You’ve packed your parachute, you’ve done the training, you’ve mentally prepared, but part of you is worried the chute won’t open.
I remember the day I got back my first critic review of the book, and I paused my finger on the button and took a big breath. I was willing to accept that my work wasn't up to standards, wasn't interesting, and wasn't something people would want to read. If I had no hope of success, then I wouldn't be let down. But when I finally found the courage to read the critic review, I was shocked by the response to my book. This book I worked hard on was celebrated in the review. They even selected it as an editor’s pick for the next issue of the magazine publication. What a relief!
The Guardian of Whispers will always have a special place in my heart for several reasons. Above and beyond the other books I write. The first book took so much courage and a bit of craziness to put out into the world—to show others in a very competitive (and opinionated) field. Guardians took me from concerned to inspired.
Writers and artists alike remember the one moment when they could truly stand by their work. It’s a moment that has inspired me since. Now I would like to see someone try and stop me from creating. I have many more stories to tell.
Happy birthday, The Guardian of Whispers. You’ll always be my first baby.
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