GRATITUDE

I'm just about coming down from my launch cloud, and I've had some time to reflect upon the whole experience. One overwhelming thing continues to rise to the surface: gratitude.

So many people have supported me on this wild author ride. I wouldn't have CRACKED or EMPTY if my husband, sons, sisters, and mother refused to let me quit during my 2.5 years of query hell. To stand at that podium and look into the sea of faces--family, friends, and strangers included--filled me up with such love.

I am truly a lucky writer.

My friendship base has widened considerably since diving headfirst into the world of publishing. I've been fortunate to participate in many writer-focused groups: The Apocalypsies, PLN (Philly Lit Night), KidLit Author's Club, and Young Writers Day. I've met incredible people from these groups, who have been, you guessed, supportive!

I'd like to throw gratitude to the overwhelming amount of fellow authors, ranging from picture book to non-fiction, who were able to attend EMPTY's launch event. I was deeply honored by the show of author support.

Authors make quite a community.

The names below are linked to their websites. I highly encourage you to click through and learn more about these wonderful authors and their incredible body of published works.

Author attendees in alphabetical order:

ELLEN JENSEN ABBOTT
Young Adult author

JESSICA CORRA
Young Adult author

AME DYCKMAN
Picture Book author

KIT GRINDSTAFF
Middle Grade author

JENNIFER R. HUBBARD
Young Adult author

BETH KEPHART
Young adult and memoir author

A. S. KING
Young Adult author

ELISA LUDWIG
Young Adult author

E. C. MYERS
Young Adult author

KATHYE FETSKO PETRIE
Picture Book author

MARGIE RICHARDS
Self-help author

TIFFANY SCHMIDT
Young Adult author

SUSAN SHAW
Young Adult author

If you weren't able to make it to the launch, and you'd like to hear my speech, my supportive sister taped it and got it up on You Tube. I share why I wrote the book, what I hope readers take away from Dell's story, and of course, gratitude.

You can watch it HERE.

You can also read these lovely recap posts:
FRANKIE DIANE MALLIS (includes lots of wonderful photographs)
PAUL JOSEPH (he has a giveaway running for a signed copy of EMPTY!)
KELLY LYMAN
CHRISTINE DANEK

And in closing, certainly none of this author gratitude would even exist without the mountains of support received from my agent, Sarah LaPolla (Curtis Brown Ltd.), and my editor, Annette Pollert (Simon Pulse). Those two are amazzzzzzing.