Rachel Hollis Instagram – This shot is from 2016. It’s me, crumpled on the floor of @barnesandnoble crying because –for the first time ever– I was looking at MY book on the shelf of a bookstore.​​​​​​​​​ My first book was self-published and the three after that were through Amazon so I’d never actually been able to walk into a store and see my book on the shelf. When it finally happened, I UGLY-CRIED. Books have always been one the most special relationships in my life… as a life-long book nerd, I still can’t believe I actually get to write them and that people read the words. Today is #nationalbooklovers day and I just wanted to write to any fellow book nerds who dream of holding their own book in their hands– keep going. It took me a decade to finish my first book. It took me self-publishing that book (that no publisher wanted) to hold my first book in my hands. It took 5 books to see one on the shelf. It took 6 books to have a bestseller. For most of us, the journey to publication is a very long (and sometimes lonely) road. Do it anyway. Write because you love it. Write because your characters deserve a chance to live. Write the words you needed when you were younger. Write and write and write and keep going.