We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Hainsworth and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, what are you inspired by?
I am a sucker for success stories. I love hearing about people who set their sights on a goal and pursue it until they manage to accomplish their dreams. Writers, athletes, business owners–they all speak to me. It’s fascinating to hear about their process, their failures, their perseverance, and what ultimately led to their success. I always come away from these types of stories energized and inspired.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve gone in all kinds of directions professionally. I owned a dog grooming business in my twenties, I published two novels in my thirties, and now I’m pursuing new goals in real estate investing. I wish I had the time and resources to do everything at once because it feels like I have too many interests. But so far, the work I am still most proud of is publishing my first book with HarperCollins, a young adult novel titled THROUGH TO YOU. When I first began writing and learning about writing, publication seemed like a big pie in the sky type of dream–something magical, out of reach, and only for other people. But as I learned about the process and met people who’d published their own books, the dream began to morph into a challenge. Could I write well enough to turn the words in my head into an actual book? Could I craft those words into stories other people wanted to read? I wrote very badly at first. I had a lot of failures and setbacks. But slowly, I managed to improve. I opened myself up to other writers, found friends and community, and a path forward. Ultimately, I found more success with THROUGH TO YOU than I had ever dreamed possible. Writing that book changed who I was, changed my life, and I feel fortunate that writing is still something that keeps me busy.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Hah, I am not the person you would ever want as a tour guide. If you want to see trendy, exciting parts of Denver, you would be disappointed asking me. I have taken several out-of-town friends to Casa Bonita, and I’m pretty sure they will never forget that unique Denver experience. I’m a burger and fries type of girl, and one of my favorite late-night hangouts used to be the Denver Diner. I’m not much of a late night person anymore, but I love getting out for a walk at Washington Park, or going for a ride on the Cherry Creek bike path, which you can take all the way downtown to see a Rockies game at Coors Field. If we went on that particular odyssey, I would make sure to stop for brunch or ice cream at Union Station. I have a passion for mid-century architecture and look forward to the Denver Modernism Show every August., so I might take someone from out of town on a tour of the wonderful mid-mod neighborhoods of Denver, like Arapahoe Acres, Krisana Park, and Lynwood. Or maybe we’d just go on an ice cream tour. I love the Rocket ice cream in Lowry, Sweet Cooie in Congress Park, Bonnie Brae of course, and maybe we’d head up to Liks in Conifer, which is the perfect treat after a hike in the mountains.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I dedicate this shoutout to my kids–who are currently too young to be terribly encouraging, but will always be my reason for pursuing my dreams and my goals.

Website: https://emilyhainsworth.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily_hainsworth

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-hainsworth/

Twitter: @Emily_YA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ehainsworthbooks

Image Credits
Matt Lowery Photography

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