When I first started writing, I had no real plans for publication. I wrote purely for my own entertainment and accomplishment. I dreamt up a story, I wanted to fully develop it and finish it for myself.

In 2012, I started exploring publication. Of course I looked into submitting to the major publishing houses first. One advantage of writing romance novels, is the ability to bypass the middle man of an agent and submit directly to a publisher. I discovered Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write contest and submitted an entry, but didn’t promote myself and didn’t get very far at all.

I took a break in 2013 to have my second baby but leapt back into action for the 2014 So You Think You Can Write competition to much different results. I told my twitter friends about my entry and got feedback from readers that I didn’t know personally.

That was huge for me and a turning point. I’m proud of my work and my stories. I don’t think my style is for everyone, but I hope that the people who do read them enjoy my books.

I decided to be fearless. Every time I took a chance on myself in my early twenties, the dividends were huge. Why not go for it this year? Why not make my dreams of publication come true in 2015?

I wrote out an ambitious business plan for myself that I’ve had to majorly scale back (money!). But I’ve kept writing new stories, editing books, and working with editors to finalize each project. I’ve pushed myself out of my comfort zone and challenged myself. I will publish the four novels in my True North series myself and I consider that a HUGE success.

But I am still working towards being an author with a major publishing house. If nothing else comes out of So You Think You Can Write 2015 but a few more people discover me and my work, I’d be thrilled. I vow to keep writing and learning and pushing myself.

If you are reading this post, thank you for your support! I can’t tell you what that means to me.

My entry for this year’s contest is Tidal Patterns. It’s a sweet romance (aimed at Harlequin’s Heartwarming line) that I hope you’ll love as much as I do.