My Castle Heart Publications

 

My birthday (the big 4-0!) has added an extra patina of sentimentality and reflection to this holiday.

In honor of this milestone—punctuated by finally unlocking the “author” achievement—I’ve assembled my own 12 days of Christmas* Thankfulness.

Day 1: Cathy Taylor
Day 2: Sue LaGow
Day 3: Ryan Hylland
Day 4: Jackie Phillips
Day 5: Szaba and Von
Day 6: Shanon Lyon
Day 7: Kerry Colburn
Day 8: Debbie Reber
Day 9: Peter Orullian
Day 10: Christa Charter
Day 11: Steam Crow
Day 12: 1986 State Fair Judging Panel

These people dropped the breadcrumbs that led me straight to this publishing adventure. Thank you, all, for your part in this Hero’s Journey.

* Contrary to popular belief, it’s not the 12 days before Christmas. Per the Oxford English Dictionary, it’s the 12 days leading up to the Epiphany (January 6) “observed as a time of merrymaking.”

Christa

Another one of my talented Xbox coworkers, Christa was well known in the video game community as the Xbox Live personality, Trixie360.

A few years ago, she hung up her community hostess microphone to try on the tweed coat of authorship. And, boy, has it ever suited her.

Eight books later—all self published!—she’s made her dream a successful reality. She doesn’t just talk about writing. It’s her life. It’s her job. And nothing can stand in her way… not even an intense battle with breast cancer last year.

Christa, you are driven, committed, and fearless. Thank you for showing me that self publishing can be done. You just need to bulldoze through all the BS and get back to the basics of being a writer: Write. Share. Repeat.

 

I look forward to seeing where the journey goes from here and all the amazing people I’ll have the pleasure to encounter in the next 40 years…

 

Banner photo inspired by Sarah Witherby’s 12 Days, Flickr Creative Commons.