We Sold Out!!!

I still can’t quite believe I’m writing this: we sold out. Every single book. Gone.

When I say that, I mean everything. Every copy of every novella. Every anthology, even the one priced at forty dollars—the one I quietly assumed might come home with me, tucked beneath a smile and a lesson learned. But no. Even that one. The table was bare by the end of the day, save for a few bumper stickers and a small stack of bookmarks. The books, the heart of this dream, had all found homes.

I don’t know how to explain what that feels like.

People came. Not just in passing, not just to glance politely and move on, but with real interest. Real questions. Real warmth. And the thing that completely cracked me open—people asked for my autograph. My autograph. They handed me my own books and asked me to sign them. And I did—nervously, a little awkwardly at first, but then with something approaching pride. They wanted to remember this. They wanted me to be part of their memory.

And I don’t know why exactly, but I do know it meant everything.

I keep thinking about how scared I was before this event. I wrote an entire essay titled What If No One Comes?—because I genuinely didn’t know. I was putting myself out there in a way I never had before. This wasn’t just about showing up with something to sell. This was about showing up as me. As a writer. As someone who finally stopped letting doubt drive the car.

And now I’ve seen what happens when I show up anyway. I’ve seen what it looks like when people meet you with open arms and open hearts. I’ve felt it. I’ve lived it. And I’m changed because of it.

I met readers who told me they were excited to dive into my stories. I spoke with strangers who felt like friends. I stood behind a table filled with books I once wasn’t sure anyone would ever want, and I watched those books be chosen—over and over again. Not because people were being polite. Because they wanted them.

I didn’t expect any of this. And that’s what makes it even more precious.

So yes—we sold out. But more than that, I feel full. Filled with gratitude. With awe. With this quiet, reverent disbelief that somehow, this dream I’ve held onto for so long is becoming real.

And now, I’m ready for whatever comes next. Because no matter how terrifying it is to stand in front of people with your heart in your hands, I know now: it’s worth it.

Thank you to every single person who stopped by, who bought a book, who cheered me on, who believed. You gave me a moment I will never, ever forget.

We sold out.

But what I really feel is full.