I’m mere hours from hopping on a flight with my sister to Salt Lake City, Utah. We’re going to Dragonsteel Nexus 2024, Brandon Sanderson’s yearly convention!

This event just so happens to begin two days after my sixth year straight of reading from a book every single day—the timing just one of life’s happy accidents.

Suffice it to say, this has been a roller coaster of a year for me. I lost my father, maternal grandfather, and eldest cat. I also took a new leadership role at work. Traveled to Montreal and Miami. And hiked some of Alabama’s public and private trails. Just to name a few things. I’m sure my 2024 recap post will need to cover a lot of ground.

Despite the ups and downs, one of the constants this year has been reading each day, and Sanderson’s work has been a central part of that.

Of the 29 books I’ve read in 2024 so far, 10 were written by Sanderson. My 30th and current read is Rhythm of War, the fourth book in his Stormlight Archive series. I’m trying to wrap it up just in time for the convention and release of the fifth book, Wind and Truth.

Maybe I’ve needed something to escape to, a thing to keep my mind occupied while learning to move forward. Whatever the case, he and other authors have been with me every step of the way.

Perhaps one day I’ll be able to write the words that describe the whirlwind that 2024 has been. Until then, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite Sanderson quotes:

And so, does the destination matter? Or is it the path we take? I declare that no accomplishment has substance nearly as great as the road used to achieve it. We are not creatures of destinations. It is the journey that shapes us. Our callused feet, our backs strong from carrying the weight of our travels, our eyes open with the fresh delight of experiences lived.

Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings