GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!
If you’re reading this, I’m currently in Cape Town, taking a tour of Robben Island. A place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned during the fight to end Apartheid. Mandela’s spent 18 years here doing hard manual labor, breaking rocks into gravel in a lime quarry, yet still continued the fight by organizing and educating prisoners, demanded fair treatment. I am in awe of his perseverance. But I also know he didn’t do it alone. He had friends, supporters, people that loved him, people that believe in his mission and dream.
The road to publishing is nothing like Mandela’s mission. That would be like comparing a pebble to Mount Kilimanjaro.
But publishing is an upward hike that you simply can not do alone, and expect to succeed.
The acknowledgment page in my book doesn’t do my true feelings justice. I am IMMENSELY grateful to everyone that has ever helped me. From my parents to my elementary school teachers.
But one person does stick out above the rest.
My writer-sister-friend Raquel Penzo was the first person I was brave enough to share ALLEGEDLY with and has loved it from the very beginning. She’s read lot of my stuff, but when her eyes lit up, I knew I had a winner, because Rocky is a brilliant writer! I value her opinion more than anyone. She encouraged me through all the rejections, stood by me during my ridiculous meltdowns, and even cooked for me when I thought my body didn’t deserve real food. And when I needed a break, I could always count on her to quickly pack up a bag and run to the beach with me.
I don’t deserve all her love, but I’ll take it nonetheless.
