One year ago today, my debut collection of poems, The Grief Committee Minutes, was officially released into the world. What an amazing day that was!

This year has flown by, and has been full and life-changing for me. The book was a big part of that. It’s not just that after years of aspiring to publish a full-length collection, I finally did it. It’s not that people shared positive things about the book and a few even wrote and published reviews about it. That was pretty great, I’ll admit. But I think the most rewarding thing of all and the most eye-opening and heartwarming, if I can put it that way, is realizing — internalizing — how many people showed up for me this year, in ways big and small.

I wish everyone could experience the warmth of friendship and support that I have. All my life, I’ve been fortunate to have had a loving family and supportive friends. And I’ve learned that if I need something, it’s important to ask. I have also learned how to say “no” to people, even good friends, who have asked me for things I haven’t felt able to deliver, and I would hope that others can be as honest with me when I ask for things they can’t deliver. At the same time, my experience with the book was that almost everyone I asked for any specific help at all, whether assisting with logistics for my book launch at the Matheson History Museum, helping with an unboxing video, helping enhance awareness by writing a review and publishing it — everyone I approached answered with a “yes.”

Writing and publishing are not for the faint of heart. In addition to the relationships that have kept me going, including friends and family who don’t know much about poetry but care about me and want me to fulfill my dreams, editors who have helped my work get better, early readers, interviewers and reviewers, bringing TGCM to fruition has naturally had its business aspects. A contract always needs signing and careful reviewing; sales must be managed and promotion can be a mixed bag; a press can and will only do so much to promote its authors, so anything beyond that falls to the writer to create, investigate and vet. But everything I’ve learned this past year has benefited me in some way and will in the future, I’m sure.

For now, though, I’m celebrating the moment. With a second book on the horizon — Bloodstream will be released sometime in Spring/Summer 2026 from Mercer University Press — my attention will soon turn to that project and all a new book entails. For now, I’m calling to mind all this year has held for me, and savoring all the memories associated with The Grief Committee Minutes, from working with a writer who became a good friend (Hanna de la Garza, who wrote a nice piece for Our Town magazine, and helped me with parts of the book launch, even bringing her friends!), to taking the book to Los Angeles for the AWP conference and helping to (wo)man the Saint Julian Press booth, getting to know some of my pressmates, and so much more. To say I’m grateful is an understatement.

If you read The Grief Committee Minutes and enjoyed it, I hope you will help me wish it “Happy Birthday” by considering writing a review, sharing a selfie with the book on your social media and tagging me, buying a copy if you haven’t (contact me for a signed copy) or recommending it to a friend. I am indebted to you all.

Cheers!