We’re close to the end of 2018. People are celebrating the holidays (or not…if you read the stories in the Worst Holiday Ever anthology).
For me, this year was transformational. I said goodbye to past seasons, not knowing what the future held. I developed a growing love for my ancestral history, and I started piecing together what was once a fractured identity. I also learned to develop my own voice and way of being in this world.
That’s not to say I’ve arrived. My journey has consisted of evolutions, setbacks, progress, and growth. If I remain courageous during life’s roller coaster ride, I’ll be fine.
My roller coaster ride of 2018 started with the pipes bursting in my kitchen, and my house getting flooded out! As some of you know, we were living in a hotel for many months after the event.
Living in a hotel pushed me to sit down and really think about my mission as a writer. It also caused me to identify my unique brand and style. So I redesigned my website to better reflect my personality and taste. I also sought out and gained new income streams and publishing platforms, one of them being my Patreon page. (Pssst! Become a patron! 🙂 )
This would’ve never happened if I hadn’t been placed in the fiery furnace of trials. If I hadn’t learned to let go of painful, yet familiar, seasons and walk into new, unknown ones.
If you’re in a trial today, I hope you find a sliver of light. And I hope that sliver of light will lead to your wildest dreams coming true.
Earlier this year, I signed a contract with Immortal Works Press for my debut women’s fiction!! I’ve been writing since 2008, and I’ve had my share of setbacks and disappointments. Arriving at this point is beyond exciting. It wouldn’t have happened without Immortal Works, #DVPit, a Twitter pitch event for authors from historically marginalized backgrounds, and my patrons & prayer warriors who support me along the way. THANK YOU!!!
This story is dear to my heart because I wrote it from a place of deep pain, healing, and self-discovery. It’s the first manuscript where I made the conscious decision to write an Afro-Filipina heroine, thereby centering my ethnic identity in a fictional narrative.
Also, I recently received the developmental edits on my manuscript, and I am hard at work to make the story shine.
The projected release date is September 2019! You can sign up for my newsletter here to receive updates on my progress with the story!
One lucky winner will receive a brand new copy of the book. To enter, leave a comment on any February 2011 blog post. Give your name, email address and U.S. state (Sorry, no international entrants) Only one entry per person. I’ll announce the winner on March 1st.