Time to share some big news! I just signed a two-book contract with Tyndale Publishing!
It has been my dream since I was a very young girl to be a writer. Before I even dreamed of marrying and having kids, I wanted to write words. Lots of words. I wanted to open people up to worlds and ideas they hadn’t thought of before (there’s a very large container in my garage filled with spiral-bound evidence of this).
Then life happened. Trauma. Mental health mayhem. Meds. More trauma. A surprise pregnancy.
I thought that I needed to give up my dream, let it go and send it back with my other childhood fantasies (like winning an Oscar or singing The National Anthem at the World Series – ha)!
Richard told me to keep writing. My friend Heather encouraged me to write for her website. And one day, I decided to share about experiencing depression and bipolar disorder and my recovery. I started my website. The words poured out like a busted fire hydrant. I couldn’t stop.
I could go on and on about the glimmers that occurred along the way, but I won’t. I have some books to write and the clock is ticking.
In the meantime, I’m asking for your help. I need to expand my influence and grow my email list. I’d love to get more speaking engagements. Here’s what I’m asking:
- Sign up for my emails if you haven’t already. I send out recipes and meal plans to every month, plus podcast and book updates.
- Invite me to speak at your church, business, school, wherever. My favorite topics are stress management, getting to the root of depression and anxiety, nutrition for mental health, overcoming mental illness, and the gut-brain connection. Hit me up. I’ll make it fun!
- Share my website and social media with anyone and everyone!
- Write a podcast review on Apple podcast.
This website will be getting a massive makeover. Because I have spent so much time on social media, creating engaging monthly emails, podcasting, seeing in-person clients, speaking, and freelance writing, this site has been neglected. I have five years’ worth of valuable recipes and blog posts that need a facelift. Change is coming, but one thing at a time.
Now, I sit in a state of shocked gratitude. I’ve been laughing, shrieking, and crying. I’m in awe of God’s timing and orchestration and the people He’s brought into my life to encourage me.
Thank YOU, each of you reading this, for being an encouragement to me as I began sharing my mental illness journey five years ago.
Thank you to Richard, my human GABA, for helping me navigate one of the most difficult years of my life and still not going anywhere.
Thank you to my mom and my dad for encouraging me to keep writing (and my dad for reminding me it’s not self-serving to use my gift) and my brother and sister for letting me write all sorts of outrageous stories about them.
Thank you to my people (you know who you are) who were there for me during Trauma-geddon ‘22-‘23.
Thank you to Sandra, for kicking my booty into gear and helping the ideas flow. To the Toginet team for airing and making my podcast a hit! To Heather for telling me to send in a proposal NOW. And of course to Agent Bob for taking a chance on me and my ideas. I can’t wait to start working with the team at Tyndale Refresh. They are putting together some amazing content, and I am honored and humbled that they picked me to join in the fun.
All right. Enough celebrating. As Bob told me, “this is where the real work begins.”