After a challenging and emotional week, today arrived with fanfare! Ever since I was a little girl who fell in love with the written word, I wanted to be a published author. My dream has come true with the release of my first book today, and it feels like it’s just the beginning. I already have ideas for new books dancing around in my mind.

The tale of how I got my publishing contract is filled with magick and synchronicity. I’d been thinking about doing a collection of my essays for a while, and had put together a couple of sample chapters to send to publishers. I hadn’t gotten very far with the project when a hard drive crashed and we lost a bunch of data, including the compilation I’d done so far. Then, last winter, I got a private message on Facebook from an editor at Moon Books, who had seen my posts on a Pagan page and wanted me to check out the Moon Books Facebook page. I did, and it looked very cool. I wrote back to him and gave him my feedback, and mentioned that I’m a writer. We started a dialogue that ended up in me submitting my proposal and being offered a contract!

I’m living proof that following your dream of publication doesn’t have to be the cliched process you hear about, with many rejections and much gnashing of teeth. My advice to other aspiring authors: write a lot, share your work, and talk to people (online and in person). Most important: practice your craft. Write every day. Maybe start a blog or Facebook page. Keep putting yourself out there with positive intentions and you will find the perfect place for your creations!

The details: Starcat’s Corner: Essays on Pagan Living by N. Starcat Shields is published by Moon Books (the imprint of a British publishing house). You can find it on Amazon as a paperback or an e-book. I hope you’ll read it and enjoy it. I’d love to hear your feedback. You can leave a comment here, or if you feel inspired to, write an Amazon review for me. Thanks!