Showing Up Anyway

It’s been a disheartening couple of weeks.

I opened Wandering Novels Online on May 22nd, and today is June 7th. In those two weeks, I haven’t had a single online sale.

Not one.

And honestly? That’s been hard.

I’ve put a lot of time, effort, energy, and heart into building this business. Every book I’ve added, every post I’ve created, every page I’ve built has been done with one goal in mind: sharing my love of reading with others.

When you launch something you’ve dreamed about and nobody buys anything, it’s easy to start questioning yourself.

Am I doing enough?

Am I reaching the right people?

What am I supposed to do next?

The truth is, I don’t really know.

What I do know is that I’m not giving up.

I didn’t start Wandering Novels because I thought it would make me rich. I started it because books have given me something incredibly valuable throughout my life, and I wanted to share that with other people.

My brain never really stops.

I’m constantly thinking, worrying, planning, replaying conversations, making lists, and trying to solve problems that haven’t even happened yet. Sometimes it feels like my mind is running a marathon while the rest of me is begging for a nap.

Books help with that.

Reading helps me step outside of my own thoughts for a while. Audiobooks help quiet the noise when my mind is racing. Stories give me somewhere else to go when I need a break from being inside my own head.

And I know I’m not the only person who feels that way.

Not everyone loves books as much as I do, and that’s okay. But for the people who do, I want Wandering Novels to be a place where they can find recommendations from someone who genuinely loves reading.

I sell books that I’ve read.

I can tell you what made me laugh, what made me cry, what kept me up way too late turning pages, and what books weren’t worth the hype. I love helping people find stories they’ll connect with, and I love talking about books almost as much as I love reading them.

That’s the dream.

Not just selling books.

Creating readers.

Building a community.

Sharing stories.

Helping someone find the book they didn’t know they needed.

So while these first two weeks haven’t gone the way I hoped, I’m still here.

Still reading.

Still posting.

Still showing up.

And maybe that’s what building a dream looks like sometimes.

On June 21st, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., I’ll be at the Beach Blonde Block Party at Three Daughters Brewing celebrating the first day of summer with Wandering Novels.

I’m excited.

I hope to meet some of you there.

I hope to meet new readers.

I hope to make new friends.

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll help someone discover their next favorite book.

That’s worth showing up for.

So here’s to turning the page and seeing what happens next.

Until the next chapter,

Julie

Wandering Novels 🌙📚