Ever since I could remember, I’ve had a book in my hand. I remember being in kindergarten and sitting cross-legged on my bedroom floor with a sea of books in front of me. I still experience that exciting, greedy feeling as I took in the pile of books in one huge gulp.

I love reading. In the summertime, I have fond memories of lying in a hammock with a stack of books at my side checking off my summer reading list. The library was never a chore; I would scurry into the children’s section with an impassive wave to my mother and get lost in Shel Silverstein, Roald Dahl, and E.B. White. I’d check out books with my library card and surprise my mom a week later letting her know that I finished them, and wanted to go back to the library for more. Bookworm was and still is, a loose term to describe my crazed obsession.

With the help of books, you are always on an exhilarating adventure. With wide eyes, I have made my way through the wardrobe and discovered Narnia with Lucy, Peter, Susan, and Edmund. I journeyed through Middle Earth with Bilbo Baggins and eventually made the same trip with Frodo and Sam. I pushed my trunk and other belongings through Platform 9 3/4 and hopped on the Hogwarts Express with Harry and his friends. With literature, anything is possible, and that’s a beautiful thought, indeed.

Ever since I was little, reading has always been my escape. When times were tough, I would open my books and tune out the sound around me. I would cling on to its bindings and flip its pages in hopes that I would find solace, and I almost always did. As an adult, I still find myself clasping on to stories in the hope that I can find peace in myself.

Literature is something that is sacred to me. With literature, you are able to jump into entirely different worlds. You meet characters you can relate to, and they become real to you. Sometimes, you like them more than those you meet in real life (sorry, it’s true!)

That’s one of the most precious things about being an author: you create characters who become timeless. With the help of female characters like Elizabeth Bennet, Jo March, Nancy Drew, Jane Eyre, Sara Crewe, Hermione Granger, Anna Karenina, Portia, Katniss Everdeen, Offred, and so many others, I have role models I can look to for strength and courage. I take what I learn from their stories and mold it into my own life, hoping to carry the same levelheadedness and grace that some of these characters exhibit through hard times. Because of their timelessness, so many other individuals get to read their stories and learn more about themselves through these characters. As an author, you have the power of immortality with the characters, and worlds, that you create.

In my life, I plan to continue to read and write. It’s what keeps me sane; it’s what makes me feel whole. My one goal in life is to leave an imprint somehow. I want to help people through a hard time. I want to be that same escape that I reach for when I need it most.   Even if it’s one person, I want to make a difference.

I am excited to continue my journey in writing. I am hopeful for the future and know that my dreams to become a writer will become a reality soon. In my eyes, I already am a writer. My plan in the next few blog posts to come (I have been very busy with work/wedding planning) I will be posting some book reviews on a few books I’ve been reading in the last three months. Exciting stuff to come.

Your turn: What are your hobbies/interests? Why do you continue to do them? I’m interested to learn your stories.