2019 has been a bit of a shit rollercoaster for me to be honest (don’t worry, we’re on the up again, I hope). However, through all of the crap, I’ve made sure that I’ve found reasons to smile. So today, I bring you my first happy post of the year.

Even when things aren’t great, there’s always a reason to smile. 

Birthday presents. Unexpected compliments. Conversations about cake. Messages from strangers to tell me they’ve read a book because I recommended it. Having 200 kids sing happy birthday to me. Positive feedback on the work I’m doing. Messages from my favourite authors. Emails from people I admire. Playing pool. Being able to look back on memories and smiling. London plans. Waiting for books to be released. Spending time with my family. My mam. Reading books. Buying books. Recommending books. Lovely messages from people. Meeting author friends for the first time. Smiles from my kids. Saying good morning to my kids every morning. Pictures of my twiglets. Spending weekends reading. Working really hard on something and watching it work. Friends letting me cry. Finding songs that you need RIGHT at that moment. Laughing with friends, when it’s hard to think of anything but crying. Breakfast with friends. Solo Starbucks. Birthday Starbucks. Dear Evan Hansen. Being OK. Witchy trio. Lin Manuel Miranda. Drag Race. Rewatching films you’ve seen 600 times before because they’re comforting. Dating advice from my kids. Karaoke. Rereading books. Watching my kids be enthusiastic about something I love so much. Watching one of my kids devour 3 books in the space of a week. My job. My kids. Books.

S x