My debut book Apocalypse Still drops next month, and I’m absolutely terrified.
When we were younger, my older sister said that she admired me. Anytime I saw something that I wanted to do, I did it. I didn’t make excuses. I didn’t hide from doing the work. I’ve always worked to make my dreams a reality. Publishing a book has been my dream for over half my life and right now, as I’m on the cusp of making that dream a reality, I’m scared.
I hate how often we lionize people for being “very brave” when they do things that we’re afraid to. The reality is in that moment we dehumanize them. We believe that they have some special stuff that we don’t have and that’s why they can actualize their dreams, and we can’t. But really, we all can.
If anything could be the motto of my life, it’d be: Do it scared. I don’t know if I’ve ever done anything while feeling safe and comfortable. Most of my decisions have been made with a pounding heart and a shaky breath, but I realized a while ago that life is too short to put my future in someone else’s hands. If I want something, I have to go for it.
So I’m sharing my short story collection with the world, knowing that this book that I’ve loved working on and am excited about could very well flop. Knowing that all of you could see me trying so hard and failing spectacularly. Knowing that if I flop or fail, I’ll be fine because at least I tried.
Apocalypse Still is my short story collection following young Black women’s fears, rage, and hopes as they navigate the defeating circumstances of their apocalyptic worlds. They question how to survive, what they believe, and who to trust in these ten speculative fiction stories. It’ll be available March 13, 2024.
I’m following my dreams, and I’m doing it terrified. I hope you see that it’s okay if you’re scared to do the same.
Until next time,
Leah