"I believe the most inspiring stories are our own." 

I've heard authors say that they knew they wanted to write and publish a book since childhood. I wish I could say the same; that I knew from a young age what my dream was. Instead, my dreams have changed and evolved through the years, but what has remained constant is my love of story. 

When I was young, I loved reading books and writing about my daily adventures in a journal. Make believe was one of my favorite past times and I was energized by recreating scenes from my favorite books and movies. While I still get lost in my head to this day with fictional story ideas, I've developed a special love for true stories in the last couple years, especially my own story. 

Because isn't it from our personal stories that all stories flow? 

Everything I've ever written contains pieces of my story, whether it's a children's book or an essay. We learn from our stories, others learn from them, and we become better storytellers in the process. It's why I believe the most inspiring stories are our own. It's just up to us to decide how we want to tell them.