My First Year As A Writer

Last month marked the one-year anniversary of publishing my first book. A year ago, Sophie & Carter went up for all the world (or, at least, the book world) to see, and my life instantly changed.

It's funny, because a year ago I wrote a blog post about how afraid I was of failing as a writer (see Dear Fear) and, now, here I am. Writing. Publishing. And loving every minute. Even the hard ones. :)

So, in honor of my constantly-suppressed fear, here's a summary of the last 12 months of my life:

The accomplishments:

• *I published three books, Sophie & Carter, Anew and Awry
• *I snagged the amazing Suzie Townsend as my literary agent. She's a superhero.
• *My Archers of Avalon series has been optioned for film and/or TV! Say what??
• *Anew was a finalist for Best Book of the Year by ForeWord magazine *jaw drops*
• *Anew was awarded Best Book Cover by UtopYA Con *squeeeee*
• *I attended UtopYA Con as a panelist. So fun! (click here to see pics)

What I Learned:

*If necessary (and it sometimes is) I can live off of coffee alone.

*I can function on only two hours of sleep. And by "function" I mean I can still make myself a cup of coffee and tweet. Because those are the two most essential parts of my day.

*Sometimes, reviews will make me cry. But those same reviews will be what makes me better. 

*I can't type as fast as I think. This is not a surprise, but I keep trying to out-type my thoughts. It's a game I play with myself: "How many errors can Chelsea make in a single paragraph?"

*I have an ellipsis problem...I'm not sure why...but I just can't keep myself...from...inserting side-by-side periods all over my manuscripts...my agent loves this about me...right, Suzie?...right...?

*I'm not friendly without caffeine in my veins. I growl. No really. I do.

*I've perfected the art of raising my children without looking at them. I can brush hair, button up shirts, pour milk, and referee an "I had it first!" fight...all without taking my eyes off my computer screen. (Did you notice the ellipsis there? :)

*If no one else is home to remind me to eat and sleep, I simply don't do those things. Apparently my survival instincts only extend to my manuscript.

*I work well if I have my music on. I do NOT work well if the Disney channel is running in the background. There's only so much Good Luck Charlie I can take.

I have so much more to learn. Lots of mistakes, lots of tears, and lots of late nights are ahead of me on this journey of writing. And I can't wait.

I really want to thank all of YOU guys--my readers, my fellow writers, my friends and family--for supporting me, loving me and believing in me. I couldn't do any of this without you. I love your guts.