Thanksgiving was particularly timely this year. There is so much that I’m thankful for—health, family, friends—but I’m feeling especially grateful for the writing world as of late.

I wrote my first full length novel when I was thirteen, and I was pretty sure it was epic.

(Side note: It wasn’t. It was terrible. It exists in its entirety somewhere on the internet, and I sincerely hope no one ever finds it.)

Around the time I finished that first manuscript, I started researching agents, and I thought, “Yeah. How hard could it be to get one of those?”

As it turns out, pretty dang hard.

Which is why I’m so incredibly thrilled, delighted, thankful that as of Tuesday, I’m officially represented by Danielle Burby at Nelson Literary Agency.

The weeks leading up to that moment were absolutely frantic. But honestly, they just gave me more reasons to be thankful. Friends who knew nothing about the publishing industry asked me all sorts of questions so that they could understand what we were celebrating; my parents fielded phone calls every time I needed to gush or ramble or unwind; the incomparable PitchWars 2016 Facebook group answered all my questions, big and small, and congratulated me endlessly; Danielle and Kristin at NLA made me feel so welcome with their enthusiasm for my book.

And I still can’t really believe it.

So here’s to new chapters. To a new stage in my writing career. To the beginning of editing one book and drafting a new one. To a new website design (“And maybe I’ll post more consistently now!” she said optimistically). To my senior year of college, and life after graduation.

I’m thankful for everything that lies ahead.

And I’m thankful for everyone who got me to where I am now.