Jennifer Hillier

I love you, Jennifer Bailey

Mar 2, 2012 | Uncategorized

I’ve been going through a really rough time in my personal life for the past couple of months, and while I don’t feel it’s appropriate to talk about the specifics of it here on the blog, I can’t pretend it isn’t happening. While I’ve managed to keep my head down and focus on what I need to do for the upcoming release of FREAK in hardcover and CREEP in paperback (both due out in August, and I’m proud to say I’ve met all my deadlines and will continue to do so), I have to tell you guys, I’ve had some really bad days.

Some downright terrible days.

And no, I don’t see it getting better anytime soon. It’s something that has to be worked through, and it will take as long as it needs to. I don’t know what the outcome will be. I can only hope I’ll come out of it stronger.

But the thing is – and this is the point of this post – I haven’t been going through any of this alone. The absolute shittiness of the past couple of months has brought out the best in my friends, and if not for them, I would have sunk.

I’m not being melodramatic, guys. I would have SUNK.

I recently came back from a weekend trip to Boston where my two childhood best friends made damned sure I had a great time. And we did, so much so I’m wondering why the hell we came back. I have friends who text and call and check in with me every day, both here in Toronto and in Seattle, just to make sure I’m still breathing. Which means more to me than I can express.

And it’s not just friends from “real life”. My online friends have been great, too. If I ever doubted that online friendships were real, I don’t now. Case in point – look what came for me today, all the way from California:

A care package! Filled with SO MUCH STUFF…

A notebook, for inspiration and creativity…

Fuzzy socks, for comfort…

A magnet, for laughter…

’80s music, for dancing and blowing off steam…

And soaps, hand sanitizers, sweets, chocolate, tea, and a magic wand for making wishes. Oh, and a lovely card, filled with lovely words to remind me of what’s important.

All of this came for me today, all beautifully wrapped. A box filled with inspiration, comfort, laughter, dancing, calm, warmth, and most of all, friendship.

How did she know? How did she know I needed this?

But that’s the thing with friends. They often know what you need, without you having to tell them.

I love you, Jennifer Bailey.

We met online, but you are as real a friend as I could ever ask for. You are everything I’ve done right in the last two years. I hope some day we meet so I can hug the crap out of you, and tell you face-to-face how much you mean to me, and how much you will always mean to me. I am so lucky to be your friend.

Do you have a Jennie Bailey in your life? Tell me about her (or him)!

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