Five years ago, I never imagined I would be on the brink of releasing my fifth book. I always loved poetry and even had a vision for three book titles. However, life has a way of smothering the flames of our dreams. Money, career aspirations, family, relationships and many other things can hold us hostage to living our passion. Mine happens to be writing. Yours may be something else. I have learned many valuable lessons on my writing journey. Perhaps the most important lesson is the power of a push.

People see a finished product, but often miss the story behind the glory. I always feel liberated when I release a book to the public. There is a piece of me that feels like I’m releasing a rocket that I’ve been holding down for months into the air. Most people don’t see the late nights, revised drafts, creative frustrations and money that goes into a published book. So, imagine my surprise when I checked my phone to view a Twitter notification today. Here is what it said: “#NationalAuthorsDay to @Peauxetic thank you for such good reading like “Fortune Cookie”  keep on doing what you do”!

This tweet was from a great supporter that I have only met through social media. Her name is Cecelia and she supported the Kickstarter I did for my debut novel, Fortune Cookie. As I weigh out different options for releasing my next poetry book, Stingrays, this message gives me an extra jolt of energy. People don’t have a duty to support. They choose to. Challenge yourself to be that extra push for someone around you. Even a smile can go a long way. There are many people who will line up to cheer and clap for us. Applause is nice; but I’ve never seen it put food on the table. However, just a simple act of support can spark a fire greater than can ever be imagined.

Also, mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 16th (2:00 to 4:00 pm CST). I will be taking over the It’s The ADD Show segment on Tha Afterparty Radio at http://thaafterparty.com/artist/the-a-d-d-show/.

Plus, today marks the beginning of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). If you have a story you’ve been itching to get out, now is the perfect time to do it. Let this serve as your official push to finish that book you’ve been putting off!