It was August, 2017, when I wrote my first post. “Marney Monster’s Magical Book” had just come out, and I was trying to pull together a website, and a marketing plan to get some visibility for my work. C’mon! This was MY FIRST. BOOK. EVER!

I was excited, I was thrilled, I was nervous, I was a little overwhelmed…I was proud. I had never thought of writing a picture book, let alone illustrating one! This was all new territory, and everything I needed to learn about being an indie author just added to the pressure. I was loving the challenge.

And then, life happened.

Have you ever felt derailed? Knocked out?

In the midst of all my plans I got a phone call from my mother. I called her every day. Every. Single. Day. Normally, multiple times a day. So, when she called me, I sensed something was off. I sensed the urgency in her voice. She was sick, and scared, and needing me.

You see, I’m an only child, and home for me is in Brazil. I also have three children, so packing up and leaving is always a big decision. But I did it, right away. I left my kids with their dad, packed for what I thought would be three weeks max, and flew home.

Long story short, I saw her for three days before the coma. After that, it was one medical nightmare after the other, as she struggled on machines for another two weeks. She passed away; I felt derailed. Knocked out. Imbalanced. Three weeks turned into three months as life, and bureaucracy, happened.

Marney Monster and my marketing plans, my reading schedule, my school visits, this blog… it was all put on hold.

Since this isn’t a blog about grief, I’ll skip through my heartache. However, I wanted to explain my absence, this ugly pause in this blog’s/site’s existence. I’m back now, and as I seek for solid footing I find solace in something new, an exciting new project: MIGHTY Alba.

I’ll stop right here. This post isn’t about the future.

This is a short explanation, and a very humble homage, to the person who read to me every night. The person motivating my every dream, the person feeding my creativity.

The reason for both my strength and my vulnerability.

 

 

 

Here’s to my

MIGHTY Alba.

If you could honor someone, if you could create something…anything, to honor a loved one, what would it be, and for whom? 

 

Cheers,

L.O.Martins