Happy Fifth Birthday to Keir

Today is a special day. Today is Keir's birthday. He's five. It's been five years since I first sat at my computer, switched on a compilation of The Rasmus, dug out a rather dark and forlorn short story about a man in a dungeon waiting to die, and started writing again. It was a huge turning point in my life. I hadn't written in years, and had hit a real low point. I wasn't sure who or what I was any more. I was proud to be a mum to three children, a wife to my adorable soulmate. But beyond wife and mother, I had lost sight of myself. It was only by writing again and discovering my passion (or rediscovering it) that I really knew what I wanted. I loved to write. It didn't matter so much to me then if it would ever be published - in fact, it was only after completing the first draft of Keir that it even crossed my mind to try getting it published. At that point it was simply enough to write.
And here am, five years later, with my eighth title about to release in just three days. Still writing. Still reeling. I never expected to be here. To be multi-published, with a handful of shiny awards and some nice reviews. Apparently I don't suck at this writing thing. :P
Where will I be in another five years? I really don't know. Maybe I'll be hitting sixteen titles. As for Keir...well, he's not available right now but I hope to have him back out to you next year, with the rest of the series to follow. If you're waiting for the same epiphany I had five years ago, I can only say this. Get writing. Now. And never give up - never surrender!