It’s release week for into the deep blue!!!

Friends, today, Into The Deep Blue is officially in the wild!!!

I’ve dreamt of the moment when I could put one of these stickers on my own book!!!

I'm jet-lagged and existing in between time zones as I write this—my heart still lost somewhere over the Atlantic. The airline's app let me know when my bag arrived after I landed, but my heart? I'm not so sure.

Most of you know that I recently went to Paris for the release of my book. The circumstances surrounding Blue's release were unique. The North American release should have come first, but when my publishing date shifted, France had already set theirs. And so it was.

It felt like a sign. If you're into those. But, more importantly, it felt like a place I needed to be, and something I needed to do, for reasons that extended far beyond Blue.

Blue was just enough of a reason.

I'm honestly a little glad to be out of it today. Calm and content where a ball of anxiety normally exists.

Paris was everything I had hoped it would be. It wasn't my first time, but it's been a long time. So, what did I find? A piece of myself that I haven't seen in a while. A girl who loves the city. Who exists so easily in them. A girl who meets people, can hold her own, and use her voice out loud and not just on the page.

To the guy from Montreal who worked at the creperie: Thank you for making me feel at home across the ocean. The crepe was delicious, and I hope you went out and bought yourself that coat. You were right, the cold hits different in Paris. I wish I had gotten your name.

To the cute Parisian who picked up the five euros I dropped: Thank you for chasing after me and giving me my first real 'meet cute' moment. The way you paused when our eyes locked was….magic. Your shy smile will always stay with me. 

To the bookstore staff who literally gave me a cheer as I held Blue in my hands and for being so gracious with my not-so-great French: Thank you for your incredible kindness. Finding all of the forward-facing stacks on the shelves of the stores I visited was unforgettable.

To all of the gentlemen who whistle while walking down the sidewalks: what a gift. Thank you.

To Les Invalides: I thought I'd like you the least, and I loved you the most. Funny how that works.

Along the way, I took more than a few wrong turns, walked until my heels bled, and managed to lock myself inside a tiny hotel water closet (peak embarrassment, and what a story).

Still, a few days in, and I didn't even need a map anymore. I've always been good at finding my way--at adapting. I needed to remember that.

And then I cried, as the city swirled around me, under a pink cotton candy sky, overcome by the unexpected softness of my own heart. 

You will be back, it whispered. 

My last night in Paris, I stayed out so late. I didn’t want to let it go.

My heart is so full.

And to all of you who have posted about Blue, ordered the book, invested your time, energy, and astonishing creativity towards boosting this story, words cannot begin to express how much it means to me. THANK YOU!

This is just the beginning.

warming up after a cold, rainy day in Paris.