How It All Stared
First book, First website, First blog.
A lot has happened in the last several weeks that has launched me into this new role as ‘Author’. It’s been a culmination of support from friends, family, and even new acquaintances that opened this door and here is that story.
When I was in sixth grade circa 2004, my best friends and I, who jokingly and also very seriously called ourselves the ‘HaHa Sisters’, decided to create and bury a time capsule. In the time capsule (old shoe box) we placed various items that represented what we wanted to accomplish when we grew up.
In that box, I placed the book ‘Esperanza Rising’ with the hope to one day grow up and write my own.
The shoe box was buried about four inches deep into some very hard dirt near a large rock and has yet to be dug up - forever entombed on the Johnson Farm.
Fast forward to February 2026; I attended the women’s Think Bigger event in Clear Lake Iowa at the Surf Music Experience Center. A local business owner, Katie Casey, Owner of Katie Casey Designs, put together this event where women in various industries of small business owning could come together and share their stories. As a regular ol 9-5 employee, I was there to support my own friend, Morgan Halbur, in her venture as a small business owner of Flo Aesthetics. Morgan was selected to be a speaker on the panel to answer questions about small business and what it looks like to navigate the varying aspects.
Towards the end of the event, they had us break out into different groups with women randomly selected to sit together and discuss ‘A Big Idea.’ The thought was - bring your big idea to the table and allow other women to bounce ideas around and help you maybe close that gap to your dream. My immediate thought was I would like to open a book store in our small town. That was instantly rebutted with, why not write a book?
I left this event feeling so inspired, empowered and energized that it’s all I could think about. So, four days later I sat down on my couch and began writing.
I published my first book on 3/27/26.
I announced the publication on my Facebook and Instagram pages on 4/4/26.
It’s been a whirlwind since! Creating this website, getting an authors email, working on another book, the public outreach, and hearing feedback on the actual book itself.
In six weeks, I changed the narrative around myself from feeling like something was missing to creating a new adventure with an unlimited amount of room for growth.
This wouldn’t have happened if I never sat down at that table during the Think Bigger event and felt confident enough to have that conversation. Without those women, who I was meeting for the first time, I never would have made that leap.
I’m excited for this adventure and continuing on this path.
Visit my author’s site at JenniferHedrickBooks.Com to sign up for my newsletter and upcoming releases!
Thank you to all of my readers!
A lot has happened in the last several weeks that has launched me into this new role as ‘Author’. It’s been a culmination of support from friends, family, and even new acquaintances that opened this door and here is that story.
When I was in sixth grade circa 2004, my best friends and I, who jokingly and also very seriously called ourselves the ‘HaHa Sisters’, decided to create and bury a time capsule. In the time capsule (old shoe box) we placed various items that represented what we wanted to accomplish when we grew up.
In that box, I placed the book ‘Esperanza Rising’ with the hope to one day grow up and write my own.
The shoe box was buried about four inches deep into some very hard dirt near a large rock and has yet to be dug up - forever entombed on the Johnson Farm.
Fast forward to February 2026; I attended the women’s Think Bigger event in Clear Lake Iowa at the Surf Music Experience Center. A local business owner, Katie Casey, Owner of Katie Casey Designs, put together this event where women in various industries of small business owning could come together and share their stories. As a regular ol 9-5 employee, I was there to support my own friend, Morgan Halbur, in her venture as a small business owner of Flo Aesthetics. Morgan was selected to be a speaker on the panel to answer questions about small business and what it looks like to navigate the varying aspects.
Towards the end of the event, they had us break out into different groups with women randomly selected to sit together and discuss ‘A Big Idea.’ The thought was - bring your big idea to the table and allow other women to bounce ideas around and help you maybe close that gap to your dream. My immediate thought was I would like to open a book store in our small town. That was instantly rebutted with, why not write a book?
I left this event feeling so inspired, empowered and energized that it’s all I could think about. So, four days later I sat down on my couch and began writing.
I published my first book on 3/27/26.
I announced the publication on my Facebook and Instagram pages on 4/4/26.
It’s been a whirlwind since! Creating this website, getting an authors email, working on another book, the public outreach, and hearing feedback on the actual book itself.
In six weeks, I changed the narrative around myself from feeling like something was missing to creating a new adventure with an unlimited amount of room for growth.
This wouldn’t have happened if I never sat down at that table during the Think Bigger event and felt confident enough to have that conversation. Without those women, who I was meeting for the first time, I never would have made that leap.
I’m excited for this adventure and continuing on this path.
Visit my author’s site at JenniferHedrickBooks.Com to sign up for my newsletter and upcoming releases!
Thank you to all of my readers!
No comments have been added yet.
