I’m not sure who started #TBTs (Throwback Thursdays), but I do find them to be a lot of fun. Especially when we get to revisit old photos from the past and see all the different hairstyles and clothing that used to be in fashion. It’s both a cringe-worthy and nostalgic experience! LOL
Since today is Thursday, I thought it’d be a good opportunity to do a #TBT post about my author journey. I believe it’s important to look back once in a while and see how far we’ve come in our lives, whether it’s professionally or personally. So, here’s a quick timeline of the CCR books I’ve self-published since I began writing in 2013.
2014: My very first Christian romance, book 1 in my Taking Chances series.
2015: Book 2 in the Taking Chances series.
2016: Book 3 in the Taking Chances series. All three novellas in this series have gone through title, cover, and editing “makeovers” since their releases (after I learned how to write and market books better). Released book 1 in my Tropical Kisses series.
2017: Book 2 in my Tropical Kisses series.
2018: Books 1, 2, and 3 in my Spark Brothers series.
2019: Books 4 and 5 in the Spark Brothers series. Released a book in the multi-author Lawkeepers series.
2020: Joined the Heroes of Freedom Ridge multi-author series with one book.
2021: Released books 1 and 2 in my Fab Forties series. Will release another book in the Freedom Ridge series.
Along with several clean romance books that I’ve written over the past 7 years, including one with my hubby(!), I’ve released a little over 30 books! Whoa! That’s way more than I ever imagined writing. What’s more amazing is that I managed to feed, clothe, chauffeur, and keep my family alive during this time, too! LOL
But more than the number of books, there are many other things I haven’t been able to track over the course of this journey. The amount of time I spent learning how to write better (while pulling out my hair LOL), taking courses on Facebook, Amazon, and BookBub ads, connecting with fellow indie authors online, joining multi-author box sets, writing author newsletters, establishing friendships with readers, and praying for inspiration. These are the intangible parts of being an author—the tears, sweat, and smiles that have been such an important part of my journey that I wish I could capture better.
It’s the same with #TBT photos. We can tell a lot from a picture, but we don’t get the full picture (pun intended LOL). I still appreciate Throwback Thursdays, though, because they help us pause and remember how far we’ve come. All of the lessons we learned, the prayers that were answered, and the growth that we experienced are what make us who we are today.
What do you think about Throwback Thursdays? Is there a particular lesson you learned or a prayer that was answered from a previous time that you’d like to mention? Please share in the comments below!
A chauffeur and referee by day (AKA a stay at home mom of two), Liwen Y. Ho writes inspirational and sweet romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).
Wow, that’s a lot of books! I’ve read quite a few of them, too! I like looking at pics for TBT, but to me it points out how you can look at things very differently looking back than what you thought was happening at the time. As they say, hindsight is 20/20, and knowing what we know now, changes how we look at things that happened in the past. However, I think we can really learn quite a bit by looking back and seeing how far we’ve come! And, especially how God has been with us all of the time!!
Hi Liwen, I agree with Trudy’s comment. I look back and see what all God has helped me through and where I am today. It’s phenomenal. Blessings to you!
What a journey! Thank you for sharing!
That is a lot of books, very impressive, and you fed etc your family. That is truly an amazing accomplishment, especially given most aspiring authors rarely start/finish the first book. Congratulations and looking forward to many more wonderful books from you. :)
Hi Trudy! I love that! Yes, you’re right that hindsight is so 20/20. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts!
Hi Karen! It really is so amazing to see how far God brings us! Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Natalya! I’m so thankful you’re a part of it! Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Dianne! Haha, yes, it’s totally God’s grace that I managed to keep the family alive during this time, too. ;) Thank you and I look forward to writing more books for you!
You have accomplished so much while being a wife and mom!
I can’t begin to pinpoint a specific time or thing that has changed me. But through the last several years God has orchestrated many things to bring me where I am today. I am so grateful to have a loving God who has a plan I could never have even imagined and has blessed me beyond my wildest expectations with some amazing women to call my friends!
Hi Deb! I’m so happy God has blessed you with great friends! Those are hard to find. Thank you for reading and sharing!
Hi, you sure have been and are a very busy lady, that is Great, that is a lot of books! Have a great rest of the week and stay safe. God Bless you and your family.
Hi Alicia! Thanks so much! It’s encouraging to see how much I’ve been able to do by God’s grace! Have a great rest of the week, too!
#TBT is downright scary for me. Did my hair really look like that?? And those sideburns?! It’s like that awful hairdo was trying to make a run for it and thought my chin was safe!
But really, there are so many things that I find cringe-worthy about my youth (and beyond). God has truly wrought amazing changes in my life but there are still so many things that are in such need of His help. Can a heart have sideburns? No, but it can have scars and sicknesses that I cling to to my own hurt. I love the line from and old Rich Mullins song, “I’d rather fight You for something I don’t really want than take what You give that I need.” How sadly true.
Then come the greatest words in all the Bible: “But God…”. And the healing and the changing and the grace and the reckless love follow on in a glorious parade. Hallelujah!
Congratulations on such a productive and well pursued writing career so far! Here’s to much more to come!
It makes me think back when I was with my husband just together & when we brought our little girl home.
I enjoy reading especially today!!
Oh my goodness, Lincoln, the line you quoted is one of my favorites from Rich Mullins! I was fortunate to see him in concert during college and it was truly an evening of worshipping God together. I understand and relate all too well to those words. And you are right that God is so gracious and good in pursuing us and saving us from ourselves. Thank you for the great reminder and encouragement!
Hi Amy! What precious memories you have! Thanks for reading and commenting!
Hi Sylvain! Yay! So glad you stopped by. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Wow Liwen! 30 books in 7 years. I’m impressed. And especially that your family is still alive :)
Hi Shannon! LOL, thanks for the laugh! :)
Thank you so much for sharing your writing journey. I became familiar with you and your writing through Heroes of Freedom Ridge. God bless you.
Hi Debra! I’m so grateful to have you on this journey with me! So glad we “met” through the Freedom Ridge series!
What a great perspective on TBT! And so great to see how God has provided and guided.