New Direction

When I first started the writing process two years ago I had no clue what to do.  I read books and searched the Internet for help.  Once my first novel, Protector, was complete I published it on my own as an indie writer because frankly, the traditional route is nearly impossible.  I put my book on Smashwords.com for electronic copies because they had the best % on royalties and I published on amazon through createspace.com for physical copies.  The book was out, that was the easy part.  I didn't really know what to do next.  I talked about it on facebook and told everyone I knew, but it wasn't enough.
One day a girl I went to high school with messaged me on facebook asking me about my book.  I told her what it was about and she immediately downloaded it, so she thought.  Turned out she bought the second book in the series instead of the first.  Kindly, I e-mailed her a copy of the first book so she wouldn't have to buy it, after all, readers are important.  The following day she called me so excited and in awe.  She loved my books.  Soon there after she started telling me about different things I could do to get myself out there because she thought I was too good for people not to know about me.  I took her advice and 6 months later I was a little step up from where I was.  I became more known in my area and started a small following with 3 books under my belt and 2 more written.  But it wasn't enough.  I needed to break away from the tiny bubble I was in and expand my horizon, but I didn't think I could do that with her.  Tension started to flare between the girl and I because I didn't like certain things that I will not discuss here nor the direction I was going in.  So much so that I stayed completely stressed out.  So a few days ago I "broke up" with her.  I say that because that is what it felt like, a break up.  I hated to do it because she is a good person and she did help me start to get my name out there more, but I did what I had to do for my career.
Here recently I have been talking to a lady who, like me, is a local writer, although she is far more known then I.  She was like me once upon a time, clueless and trying to find her way.  She has been sharing so much advice with me.  Advice about things I never even thought of.  "Paying it forward," she says.  I love that.  I've been asked so many times how to get started and how to publish and I am always willing to help.  Paying it forward.  I am so appreciative of the people who have helped me and I will continue to pay it forward as well.