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               Since middle school, I have been inspired to write a fantasy series. The Percy Jackson series and The Hunger Games left a lasting impact on me as a kid. Even video games like Kingdom Hearts and Elden Ring (yes, I know, two different spectrums) sent those excited shivers through my gut when I was immersed in their impactful storytelling. Most influential to my writing journey though, is anime.

               Shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, One Piece and Naruto were a blend of the flashy action I craved while balancing conflict, the nature of friends, family and moral dilemmas that speak to the heart. These stories tackle issues that remain relevant today and made me reflect on myself, my life, but most of all what freedom and dreams mean to me. So, I set out to chase my own dream and write the scenes and characters that were too long confined in my mind without the freedom of venturing onto the blank page.

               After ten years of committing myself to its completion, the Angel Eye series came into existence. Rewriting and cramming in extra time on my laptop whenever I could, led to the 'finished product' of my five-book series. I laugh now at naive Zack, who thought he'd brushed his hands of long hours of editing and writing lengthy battle sequences for Angel Eye over and over. Little did I know, my future editor wife was cackling somewhere in the distance, steepling her fingers like a cartoon villain.

               The truth of it was I didn't know where to go once the series was written. Sure, being a full-time author sounded like a dream I wanted to live out, but how exactly to get there felt like a misty path I was stumbling my way through.

               As I reread my work, it seemed as though there was always something new to edit the more that I learned about what makes truly great writing. Every bit of knowledge I gained meant I had a harder time believing my books were at the 'ready to publish level'. The fear of whether anyone would like my books had set in like quick-fire paralysis. I kept getting stuck, drowning in the perpetual self-deprecating thought patterns.  

               After meeting my wife though, I met my best friend and greatest critic all in one. With her, I have been able to practice the art of receiving constructive criticism while learning a thing or two along the way (against my will). It was only when I saw my terrifyingly ambitious wife urging me to take the next steps that I really truly contemplated publishing the fruit of my efforts, my baby of a literary work.

               For anyone else out there whose dream is to be a published author, do you struggle with perfectionism or fear of how your books will be received?

               I think it’s natural, but it doesn't make fear and uncertainty any easier. What’s important is that you have confidence in your writing by reflecting on what you are good at, even if overall your skills are not at the level of your favorite authors or even your peers.

               My books, be they sad, funny, or inspirational, are meant to create a web of connection amongst anyone who turns my pages. You can write for a lot of reasons, one of the most common being money. But for me and many other writers out there, we do it because we want to connect with our readers. We want to impact them with our stories crafted with such incredible care and passion. Getting you to hate the villain, cry for a martyr or laugh with the jester, well, that means we did our job right. No matter if you write horribly or you write like you’re a best-selling author, just keep writing, keep striving to touch other people with the characters and the narratives living in your head just begging to be released onto the page.

Until next time, keep dreaming.

Fun fact: One Piece is my all-time favorite anime and Luffy, the main character, is chasing his dream to be the King of the Pirates.