It has been my dream since the ninth grade to have my books published. I looked and looked and looked for publishing companies that didn't charge out the ying-yang to publish my books but never found one. Ten years, one marriage, and two kids later and I finally got to the point where I'm able to say that I'm a published author. The main thing I have to say to young, aspiring authors is find your people. My mom, step-dad, husband, and friends were my biggest supporters. A few friends read over the very first drafts to the books that I had first started on and they gave me feedback that kept me going. My mom took me to my first meeting with a publisher three hours away. My husband pushed me to keep going when I fell off of writing for a long time. So, when you find your people that support you, listen to them and stick with it. They will drive you and keep you going and don't hesitate to reach out.