Like lottery winners and people who dye heir green and actually make it work, there is nothing like seeing someone you know achieve literary success to make you believe it is possible.

Elizabeth Bachinsky is one of these people. Sure, I didn’t exactly exchange LOL texts with Liz (and I’m sure she would be okay with me calling her so there) on a daily basis during my high school year, but we worked at the same Starbucks for a while so that is pretty much even better because it means I saw her go from a green-aproned coffee slinger to the author or three poetry anthologies and nominee for the 2006 Governor General’s award. Quite the journey–both to go on, I’m sure, and watch.

So thank you Liz, you inspire me.