Never Give Up on Your Dreams by Marie Tuhart

I signed my first contract 10 years ago today.

Wow, just typing that still amazes me. Here I am 10 years later with:

16 full length novels published
3 full length novels in the process (soon to be published 2019/early 2020)

7 short stories or novellas
4 short stories in the process (soon to be published 2019)

I’ve come a long way in those 10 years. I never thought I’d write that many books in that time. The first 4 years of my publishing career I was still working a full-time job and taking care of my mom.

Once I was able to retire, I’d been at my day job for 30 years and it was time to get out of the corporate world.  With retirement came a move, I moved myself and my mother from California to Washington state.

In my new house, I had my own office, something I wanted for years. While in the next few years, I wrote in fits and starts, because taking care of my mom became the priority. When she passed away, I stopped writing for close to six months.

When I started writing once again, the ideas started flowing and I allowed myself to just write and not worry. It was the best thing I could have done, it allowed my muse freedom to write and helped me get through the grieving process.

I love writing and letting my imagination take me places. Even after ten years there are still things that challenge me like marketing/promotion. It’s a necessary evil as I call it. It has to be done, otherwise people wouldn’t be able to find my books.

Writers are introverts, and I’m no exception, but I’m learning to be a little more outgoing with signings and public events. I still have to work on public speaking or readings, but that will get there. I’m a shy person, so I will say now if you ever see me, come up and say hi and start talking. I love meeting people, it’s just hard for me to make the first move.

I don’t know what the next ten years will bring, but I’m going to keep writing and putting books out there.

I dreamed of being a writer and getting published. Now my dreams are to keep publishing books that readers want to read, and to meet readers. Never give up on your dreams, and keep pushing yourself.