A Late Bloomer Still Blooms, a guest post by Elba Luz

Throughout my life I’ve always worried everyone around me was so far ahead, I’d never be able to catch up. Even as a kid, my classmates had these niche interests so true to themselves. I wondered why I didn’t have any of the same passions. Kids who would walk around saying, “I want to be a doctor,” or “I want to be a scientist,” gave me pause. Teenagers who knew exactly what universities they were going to apply to felt alien. College students already lined up for internships and jobs all formed a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. Everyone had dreams, and all I had was worry.
What even is a dream? Of course, I had interests, phases that came and went depending on my mood. But dreams were supposed to stick forever. Was there fear of committing to something? Maybe. Was there a flame in me, a burning passion for something that made me excited to get up in the morning? Not really. Did I feel this constant fear while I went through life, unable to visualize my future when everyone around me excitedly spoke about their plans? Absolutely.
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I’ve had a love of reading since the 6th grade, the only constant hobby that never wavered. I wrote in my journal, made up scenarios in it—characters just like me, and some the polar opposite. I would hog the family laptop and write tiny novels with the worst grammar imaginable. I remember the exact moment I picked up a book I loved, stared at the cover and imagined my name across it. “I should become an author,”said a clueless teenage Elba.
My first problem was that I had zero clue where to start. Querying? Agent? Submission? Synopsis? Those words felt as confusing to me as trying to count without using my fingers. My next issue? I had no support. Now, this is not a diss to my family, and if any of them are humiliating me by reading this post that holds my thoughts and emotions…get out of here you rat.

Now that they’re gone (and still loved), I can say: I had nobody around to guide me. There’s a stereotype that the youngest child gets all the attention, but as a child of five, I was more of an exhausting addition. Especially as a surprise baby. Meaning, nobody really knew what to do with me. I kind of dilly dallied with my books, played video games, and that’s what I was known for. I wasn’t put into any after-school activities. There weren’t any family traditions passed on to me. Nobody bothered to see if there was anything I had talent in. The thing was, there were no expectations of me. For anything. Aside from, “Going to school and getting a good job.” With hundreds of majors, thousands of careers, the advice was as vague and directionless as my future seemed. I told my family about my almost dream of becoming an author, but was met with just a nod and a, “Okay, good luck.”

Again, this is not a diss track to my family, who came from Puerto Rico, learned English on their own and got jobs to take care of us. They did pretty nice because I came out pretty cool. However, I was embarrassed as I wrote books and didn’t know what to do with them while everyone around me kept racing ahead, reaching life milestones I was nowhere near. When I graduated from university and didn’t get a good job, the one thing my family expected of me, it made me feel even worse. As my peers landed jobs with enough money to take care of their families and then some, there was this lingering disappointment that I had been given shelter, food and an education, but was still stuck working in low-paying retail jobs. But what my family provided me, I came to learn, are just necessities, not support, which I wish I had and hope that people give to their loved ones.
Maybe you’re reading this and thinking I’m making excuses, a little woe-is-me pity party, and maybe you’re right, okay? This is a safe space, let me complain a little, because when you’re given resources and support, you have a head start on others working with the bare minimum. It’s helpful to have people willing to help your dreams become a reality.
But, more importantly, it’s vital that you take ownership of your own life and dreams. Dreams look different for everyone. They don’t have to be miraculous flames that never die out or outrageous, unattainable things. They can start out small, and with diligence and effort, your perseverance will stoke them into something beautiful.
Whoo-hoo, pity party over (ignoring the years of my querying, dying on sub, etc. because, spoiler, it all works out). Like me, the main character in BUILD A GIRLFRIEND, the cutest and messiest girl Amelia, has no idea what her goals are. Unlike me, however, her family has so many expectations of her, mainly forcing their own dreams onto her. Her identity has been tied to her family since she was born. They have never spoken to her about her dreams because they believe she will inherit theirs, just like they and the generations before them have. Amelia doesn’t exactly know what she wants to do, but she experiences discomfort and bitterness at the idea that her family doesn’t expect her to have any dreams, therefore unintentionally stalling her discovery of them. They even decide for her that she’s under the “Hernandez Family Curse” to never find a partner. If she can’t even find love, how can she have dreams?
There was a moment when I had the cliched light bulb turn on, and I realized, yes, it would be nice to have support, but ultimately, I was the one in charge of my own life. If I wanted something, no matter how difficult, I had to do the work for it. I read every piece of advice on writing that was available online, scoured the library for publishing insights and wrote, deleted and edited hundreds of thousands of words for years. I went back to school, studied what I wanted. I read thousands of books, trying to learn from them, trying to perfect my own craft.
Amelia has this same realization. Even if she doesn’t have her family’s support, she has to figure out her life on her own. There’s a quiet resilience that comes with trying to carve a path to your future regardless of a supportive environment. And bravery to try when you feel as if you’re running behind. The thing is, nobody is in a race with you. This world makes it seem like everyone has to have it all figured out by a certain age, but you can figure out who you are and what you want at any time. Life isn’t a competition, and it’s certainly not measurable.
In BUILD A GIRLFRIEND, Amelia navigates the complexities of being a late bloomer, going through internal struggles and triumphs I had grappled with on my own journey towards fulfilling my dreams. You’ll find her facing uncertainty, messiness and the fear that comes with being on the cusp of adulthood without a clear roadmap in sight—all while dealing with a hot, dimpled ex-boyfriend.
I know society tends to glorify early achievements and praise prodigies, but to those who are still unsure of themselves, no matter what age, that’s okay too. Being a late bloomer is not a sign of failure, but a testament to the unique growth that is allowed when we give ourselves the grace to bloom in our own time. To all the late bloomers, you can discover your own path at your own pace.
Meet the author

Elba Luz is a Puerto Rican author and a lover of stories, whether in the form of anime, manga, video games, and, of course, books. Speaking of books, she should be writing her own. Instead, you’ll probably find her replaying Final Fantasy, listening to classical music, or cuddling up with her adorable pit bull, Stormy.
Handle: @ElbalLuz
Website: Elbaluz.com
BUILD A GIRLFRIEND on Goodreads
Here is the book’s purchase link
About Build a Girlfriend
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A teen deep-dives into her dating history to uncover her mistakes, become the perfect girlfriend, and get revenge on the wrong guy so she can ride into the sunset with the right one in this debut rom-com.
To the surprise of no one, Amelia Hernandez is once again single. It’s her family curse at work; whether it’s by heartbreak, scandal, or even accidental death, every romantic relationship that a Hernandez woman has will meet its demise eventually. And that may be fine with Amelia’s sisters, mom, and aunts, but definitely not with Amelia.
So, convinced that she is the problem, Amelia decides to embark on an “Ex Retrospective:” tracking down her exes, finding out where she went wrong, and using that information to finally become un-break-up-able for whenever her next relationship comes along. Because Amelia is determined to be free of the family curse…and her family.
However, when Amelia is unwillingly reunited with Leon, the ex to end all exes, she can’t resist having a little revenge on the side, too. After all, what better way to test out her new persona of perfect girlfriend traits than on the boy who broke her heart?
But old loves die hard, and as Amelia’s feelings grow more complicated, she suspects that she may be in for more than she bargained for.
ISBN-13: 9781665942515
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date: 01/14/2025
Age Range: 14 – 18 Years
Filed under: Guest Post

About Amanda MacGregor
Amanda MacGregor works in an elementary library, loves dogs, and can be found on BlueSky at @amandamacgregor.bsky.social.
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