D9: THE BEGINNING

D9: THE BEGINNING

I was working on finalizing my children’s book and was unsure what my next move would be.  How do I get published?  Where do I go from here? That was when my mother called me wanting to talk about this publishing cruise she had heard of, first explaining what that was. 

A publishing cruise? Hayhouse, a publishing company focused mostly on wellness books, was putting on a conference with amazing speakers who would explain how to get your book published…the next step…I was resistant thinking of a week at sea, when I hadn’t even spent a day on the ocean.   

Do I have motion sickness?  I don’t even know.  Will I miss seeing land?  Also, my book is not a self-help book.  Would this be beneficial for me?  These were some of the thoughts that rolled through my mind, but my mother strongly urged me to take the trip.  She has always been extremely intuitive when it comes to decision making.  

So, I made preparations to go, flying into Fort Lauderdale Florida.  Then from there, I loaded onto a giant ship called the Emerald Princess, signing my life away for at least the next week.  This cruise ship was the gigantic.  I felt like I was in the movie “Titanic”, but instead of men in suits and woman in long gowns, it was Hawaiian shirts and day dresses.  I dropped off my bag on the bed I wanted and began exploring the cruise, getting the lay of the land.  Soon, it was time for dinner and I went back to my room.  My stuff was moved and my roommate had taken the bed...so many thoughts ran through my mind. 'Oh no, I'm gonna hate her... what if she's a big partier?... I'm not going to sleep all week...'  

Then I met her, miss Amadella Clarke.  She was fun, lively, and could talk for hours.  I quickly forgot about "my bed" and new I had made a friend for life. The day was June 6th and it was at that dinner table, Table 9, that I met extraordinary women.  We spent a week conversing, debating, laughing, and synergizing.  I felt alive!   New air seemed to quickly move through my lungs.  We kept running into each other throughout the ship and each time we did, we would have in depth conversations for hours.  

These women were unique, creative, beautiful, and smart.  They impacted my life and filled a void.  I knew that this was a pinnacle in my life, a new beginning, and that these women had changed me for the better…forever.

My hope is that we will do the same for you.

Tasha Ina Church
Multicultural Author, "We Are One at the Falling of the Sun"
www.tashainachurch.com

@TashaInaChurch
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