Goodbye 2020!
Well, it's been quite a year, and before I take my first sip of champagne, I'd like to go through a year in the life with you all. I know it's been months since I've posted something other than an Instagram post, and I'm so sorry for that. I've worked my tail off this year, and it was truly rewarding. This year was also filled with pain and heartache. We've all suffered tremendous loss. I don't want anyone to confuse my enthusiasm and excitement about the year to come as a cover-up when there is much suffering going on right now.
I've just spent too many years manifesting negative things in my life because of negative thinking. I'm choosing to have ridiculous faith and hope for the future. So much has happened, I wanted to stop by and do a year in the life for all of my friends here on WordPress and beyond.
Here's a rundown of my journey this year...
December 2019 - The male lead character in my new book first came to mind. I thought about what he looked like, how he would talk, and the issues he might face. I was deep into writing a suspense novel when the idea of this man intrigued me. I decided to explore the story, and that's how I Forgot to Love Her, my debut novel, was born.
March 2020 - It was announced that I would be working from home full-time due to the coronavirus. The virus was starting to take lives left and right, and I was in a constant state of panic all the time. I decided to seek counseling, and I stayed consistent with writing to keep my mind off the things that were happening in the world. I also joined social media for the first time in over a decade.
May 2020 - I started witnessing horrific acts of racial injustice, and sadly Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd lost their lives. Around midnight one evening, I decided to write a post about it through tear-stained eyes. The next morning, the blog post got the attention of a fellow journalist and new friend based in the U.K. He helped me get the article published.
June 8th, 2020 - My article was published in The Voice, Britain's only Black National Newspaper.
July 5th, 2020 - The cinematic book trailer for I Forgot to Love Her was released unexpectedly and received well, so I decided to leave it up on social media.
September 28th, 2020 - I turned 40 years old, and I finished the final draft a week before my birthday.
November 16th-20th, 2020 - The ebook and Paperback versions of my novel were released, and my dream finally came true, and it only took 39 years!
December 2020 - An actress with BET (Black Entertainment Television) liked a photo of my book! I'm not mentioning her name to respect her privacy.
I could write so much more, but I want to hurry up and get to celebrating my accomplishments, praying for the loved ones I've lost, and hoping for a better tomorrow.
May you all have a very blessed, SAFE, and happy New Year. Please take care of yourself. Coronavirus is no joke, and we must take it seriously. Thank you all for coming along with me on my journey. I don't know what the next year will be like, but I have a lot of hope and faith for a better year than 2020.
God Bless,
Kenesha