The Broke and the Bookish is asking what are you thankful for?

1. The Husband. He’s my best friend and my biggest cheerleader. He’s supported me through this difficult year and I’m very thankful to have him by my side.
2. My family. All of them. I have a very large, very close extended family, and though we disagree and argue and sometimes I wish they’d mind their own business, I still can’t imagine life without them.
3. The chance to get to do something I love for a living. It’s been really hard this year since getting laid off from my other full-time job. Our finances have taken a big hit (not all authors are rich!), but we’re making it through so far and I’m getting a chance to try the life I’ve always wanted.
4. My friends. After high school, I went through many years of not really having any in-person friends. My friends had all gone away and we’d lost touch. But over the last three years, I’ve started to build up a group of friends that I can talk to and laugh with. I got to spend some time with a few of them last night and I’m so thankful for girl time and talk!
5. My pets. I know we have too many (five cats and two dogs, plus the chickens, which really aren’t pets) and they create a lot of messes, but they’re always willing to give me love when I need it.
6. Books! I haven’t been reading as lot lately–I’d always thought that when I started working from home I’d have plenty of time to do everything, but somehow I don’t!–but I’m still so thankful for all the authors out there sharing the worlds inside their heads with the rest of us. There’s nothing like curling up with a great book!
7. My author friends. I’ve gotten to know so many authors online and in person over the last few years. I love talking with someone who knows exactly what I mean when I talk about writing and publishing. And I love how supportive other authors are to each other. We’re all in this together and it’s more fun having friends who are on the ride with you.
8. New ways of publishing. I’m so thankful that I took a chance in 2011 and self-published The Boyfriend Thief. It changed my career and got me out of the standstill I was stuck in.
9. A home and food. This year has taught me to be much more thankful for the fact that we do still have a roof over our heads and I am still able to buy groceries each week.
10. Getting to try something new.

Originally published at ShanaNorris.com. You can comment here or there.