What is love?

Love is being willing to take all of the ups and downs but remain steady. I speak, of course, about my love for writing. I'm about to release my sixth novel in two and a half years, and most people tell me that I'm crazy. They're not wrong, but it doesn't make me love writing any less. I've found a sweet spot where I've improved my skills and lost some of my insecurities, and this just makes me super excited to see what's next.

Where Gravel Roads Lead Home drop next Thursday, and I really feel like this one is for all of the people who took the time to pick up my Gem City series. Even the first edition. It was bad, guys. Like so bad. But people read it and fell in love with the story anyway. For them, I wrote Gravel Roads. Writing and publishing this book had nothing to do with marketing strategy or improving my Amazon standings or gaining followers. I totally get that most of the world won't ever get to fall in love with Luke Miller and read this book. But for the ones who do? That's what this project was all about.

Not only do I love writing YA fiction, I love my characters. I love them so much it kills me when they do the wrong thing or when they hurt. And I love you guys :). Anyone can write, but you can't be an author without people to read your stuff. So know that on the days I was certain I'd never finish Luke's story, or that it was the worst thing I'd ever written (it's not), or I should just give up novel writing all together, it was your reviews and messages and enthusiasm that made me keep sitting down at my keyboard week after week.

I hope you have something you love as much as I love this, and I hope it makes your whole world a little bit brighter.