This weekend marks the first year anniversary of my debut novel, drown. The kindle ebook went live on December 3, 2020 and the paperback became available on December 4, 2020.

It’s crazy to think that it’s already been a year since I put this story out there at an “official” capacity. And to see how well it’s done and has been doing has been quite the ride. Especially considering the fact that I am self published and have been struggling to build an audience for myself for years.

You know, I didn’t set out to become a writer. I was just a would-be actor who couldn’t land an audition, much less book a book a job, and I was hoping to create an opportunity for myself. I had a story I wanted to tell that I put a lot of myself into and writing it into a book seemed to be the most accessible way to get it out there. And I’m so glad that I did.

Since putting out drown, I’ve had a number of people reach out to me through social media to tell me how much the story resonated with them. I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with people — writers and readers alike — who’ve become friends to me via online messaging. I’ve even been able to pay down a credit card — which I promptly spent — using royalties. Like, that’s crazy.

So, with all that being said, I just want to say thank you. For years, I felt it in my bones that this story would be the thing that would finally help me launch some sort of career, and in a way, it did. I may not be a “Best Seller” and I don’t make a whole lot of money from the book, but I have people reading my work and looking forward what I put out next. People are paying attention and for that, I will forever be grateful.