Grateful

When I opened an email from a reader with the subject line GRATITUDE, I was flabbergasted she was sending me gratitude!

If you think about gratitude, what comes to your mind? I’m sure it’s different than what comes to my mind. Most readers don’t realize that you are the center of my world.
Of course I love creating all sorts of stories in my head and writing them down, but I never dreamed that anyone other than my own mother would want to read them.
It wasn’t until my husband looked at one of my favorite author’s novel did he inform me that he knew I could write one of those.
With those few words of encouragement, I began writing that night on what turned out to be a novel that would never see the light of day. Through persistence and thick skin, I finally was able to get my first novel, Carpe Bead ‘em, published.
If only one person bought that novel, I had fulfilled my dream of publishing. This made me a real author! And not only did one person buy it, over thirty-thousand copies sold in the first month Carpe Bead ‘em had been out. Quickly it shot to the bestsellers list and beyond.
I was beyond filled up with gratitude. You see, it’s not about money to me. It’s about connecting with readers and forming relationships with them. I have met my readers at conferences, for dinner, for dessert, and weekend retreats.
My gratitude is you, the reader.
You have a busy life just like me, I know~I have four teenage boys. And in today’s crazy world you take time out of your day to sit down and make time for my made up stories. This blows me away! And you make me a better writer! I write about family, love, and emotions. I take you on a journey that I hope fills you up with gratitude as much as I’m filled up by you.
What is something you are GRATEFUL for?