I Heart Books

It's no secret, anyone who knows me knows learning to read changed my world. From the very day I sounded out my first full word, nothing in me has been the same. I was the one kid who actually liked the required readings in high school, in fact I still have some of those books. And one, The Joy Luck Club, is still my all time favorite.

The more recent additions to my collection I have acquired through www.amazon.com and the Black Expressions book club. So although I am an avid reader, I haven't walked into a book store since college (and even then it was for the purpose of buying overpriced text books).

Until yesterday. I want you to close your eyes and visualize the look on Charlie's face when he stepped into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Substitute Charlie for me, 2* year old black woman...and substitute chocolate for books. Keep the expression. And now you have me when I walked into the Borders at Downtown Crossing for the first time. I was in total awe.

In that moment, I realized I Heart Books. I love the cover, the summary on the back, the author bio, the story in itself. I love it all! For me, it's not a hobby, it's not what I do for leisure at the beach, nor is it just something to do to pass time on my commute to work.

Talk about light bulb moments!

All my life I have heard, find something that you love and earn a living doing it. For a while I thought it was children, so I worked at camps, after school programs, daycares, you name it. But what was missing was the fulfillment...I wasn't totally happy.

It was not the feeling I have when I am editing my book. It was not the same joy I feel when I think of how many manuscripts I will read as a publisher. I didn't have the passion I have now. This is just the beginning of my work running my publishing company, yet the onset of total happiness is already blooming. I know this is what I want to do.