For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be a writer. As a child, before I could write words myself, I used to tell my mom stories and then ask her to do the same for me. I liked everything about fiction, whether it came from books or off the cuff from someone’s imagination. As I got older, I loved how stories could transport me away from challenges, how they could inform and inspire. By the time I finished high school, I’d co-written my first completed novel with a friend who’s my critique partner to this day. After college, the journey toward publication began. And it was quite a journey. There was so much I didn’t know at the beginning about the business side. Back then, my goal was simple: write a book I loved and then find a literary agent who could sell it to a publishing house. Of course, the goal was easier said than done. I joined a writer’s organization, which helped me learn how to write stronger query letters – pitches to try and get someone interested in my book. Eventually, I found an agent and we started shopping my novel. But by then,…