First Blog Post: Thank You from Me to You!

A look back: Judy Blume and me窶ｦBFF窶冱 ...

First Blog Post: Thank You from Me to You!

So, here窶冱 the deal. (that窶冱 my go to phrase窶�) I decided that it窶冱 finally time for me to have a blog and this is my first blog post! Yay!

Before I could even start the blog, I spent a long time coming up with names for it. I want something more interesting than 窶彜imone窶冱 Blog.窶� I really wanted to call it 窶彜imone窶冱 Shit窶� but 窶�. eh. If you have any suggestions for what I should call it, post it in the comments!

So, I started writing over ten years ago and even though I had this wild and crazy dream that I would someday become aﾌ�New York Timesﾌ�bestseller, I never actually thought it would happen, but it has! It窶冱 happened more than once which is amazingly awesome. At some point a few years ago, I had a total, 窶弩ow. I can窶冲 believe THIS is my life!窶� moment. Now, I窶冦 living a dream.

Salon du Livre in Paris - Thanks, Geraldine, for submitting this!

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You might think that writing or winning awards and getting to travel are my favorite perks of being a published author, but they aren窶冲. Nope. My favorite part of being a published author is getting to ! That窶冱 right, if it weren窶冲 for my fans and all the support they give me, I wouldn窶冲 be able to do what I do.

Listen窶ｦmeeting and talking to my fans have been some of the most rewarding and emotional times of my life. I had one fan email me and tell me that if it weren窶冲 for , she would still be cutting herself. I窶况e had fans in gangs tell me that Alex窶冱 story is the reason they decided to get out of their gang. No matter how many times it happens, each time is the most amazing, surreal experience. When I started writing, I just wanted to tell a story. I didn窶冲 set out to change lives, but I can窶冲 tell you how humbled I am that these things have happened.

Texas Library Association Author Dinner - submitted by Denise Bassham

More than anything now, I just want to give back to my amazing fans that have changed my life.

A few months ago, I got a Facebook message from a huge fan of mine, Amber Moosvi. I was heartbroken to hear that she has Glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Amber happens to be doing her chemo treatments near Chicago, so I was able to visit her during one of her treatments. It meant so much to me to get to spend time with her, that I decided to fly in Alexander F. Rodriguez and Giancarlo Vidrio (Alex and Carlos from my ) to spend some time with Amber as well. We went to Amber窶冱 chemo treatment and then to a benefit concert for her. Then, we all hung out at my lake house for the weekend. Amber is just so special.

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Amber and I at chemo

ﾌ�I know that Amber isn窶冲 the only one of my fans going through a terrible time right now. I wish I could reach out and help all of you, because your support for my books means the world to me. I don窶冲 know what I would do without all of you. I get messages from fans every day telling me 窶徼hank you窶� for writing my books, but really, this is my THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU from me to you from the bottom of my heart!

ﾌ�Thank you for buying my books and spending part of your precious life reading my stories. Our time on earth is limited 窶� that you chose to spend yours reading my stories is surreal and amazing. Every other Wednesday, I will be blogging, so make sure to check back.