i'm only making one resolution this year
but it's a good one
Happy January!
2024 slipped by with a whimper, and honestly, I don’t mind. By the time December came around, I woke up most mornings wishing I could burrow underneath a blanket like a small woodland creature, my kindle in hand. That’s how I spent that magical time in between Christmas and New Year’s: I fell down a Lisa Kleypas rabbit hole, and I haven’t found my way out yet.
I know historical romance isn’t especially fashionable right now, but for me, nothing in romance comes close to the way a good historical makes me feel. I go into them with absolutely zero information: no blurb, no anything, just trust in the author and a good clinch cover. Something about the fantasy they provide—a world with balls and duels and danger, ruled by strict edicts and customs, with the threat of being compromised in each kiss—hits like nothing else. If you’re looking for a series to kick off the new year, I’d go no further than The Wallflowers. Lisa Kleypas has a unique readability that makes it nearly impossible to put down her books.
And amidst all this reading, it gave me an idea.
It’s not a project I can talk about yet. In fact, I’m excited to hold this one close to my chest. I’m not sure when I’ll be writing it (I’m still on deadline for my next Avon book; more on that below) but I’m daydreaming about the world constantly. I haven’t been this creatively energized in a long time, and I forgot how glorious it feels. The sense of freedom and possibility is unmatched. Without giving anything away, I’ll say that it’s in a different romance niche (not historical, though the influence is there) and I think it’s just what the doctor ordered, so to speak, this year.
But I was going to talk about resolutions.
I’ve done years with resolutions, and years without them. I’ve been trying hard not to put too much importance on the beginning of the year; we can change habits and develop new routines whenever, after all. But I haven’t set a reading goal in ages, and since it feels appealing this year, I’m going for it: I’m going to read 100 books between now and the end of the year.
It’s not just a writing decision, although I write better and more creatively when I’m actively reading. I thought about this newsletter, and what I wanted to share with you, especially after stepping back from social media for a bit, and all I could think of was to talk about what I’ve read recently. I also thought about what has made me happy lately, and right at the top was taking my kindle on an adventure. As always, I’m on the lookout for another hobby (I took a pottery class in Nov and Dec, with mixed results), but frankly, my first hobby will always be reading, and pretending otherwise does me a disservice just as much as it curtails my creativity.
I have other things I’d like to accomplish this year, both personally and professionally, but this crosses the boundary between both neatly. Whatever your ambitions for 2025, I hope reading is high on the list :)
a good thing I wrote recently:
My good friend Sophia Travers did this in a recent newsletter with her work-in-progress, and I’m being an unrepentant copycat because I loved it so much. I’m still working on my next book for Avon, a standalone contemporary, and by some miracle, it’s going well. I can’t wait until I can chat about these two:
“Take a sip of your drink.”
There’s a curious note in his voice, so I listen without protesting. He holds out something. When I reach out to take it, he shakes his head again. My breath stutters. I sway closer, and so does he.
Our gazes catch, blue on green. His fingertips brush my lips as he feeds me the small morsel. He caresses my bottom lip with his thumb before easing away.
The gesture freezes me so thoroughly, I don’t remember that I have something in my mouth until my taste buds are overcome with flavor. It’s cheese. Nutty, rich, and yet like silk in my mouth. He watches as I swallow, those irreverent eyes shaded by the tree’s branches.
We’re close enough that it’d take no effort at all to touch. No effort to kiss, our mouths messy with flavor.
“Good?” he asks.
I nod, mesmerized by the way he’s looking at me. There’s a raw, almost carnal edge to his expression. I feel stripped down, even though we’re in public. The banyan canopy might as well be a curtain. We’re ensconced in our own little world.
“Tell me what you taste,” he says softly.
“Is this a test?”
“Close your eyes and think.”
It does feel like a test, and one I don’t want to fail. I close my eyes. His fingertips tap against my lips. He places another sliver of cheese on my tongue.
This time, I let it melt intentionally. My focus—usually so scattered—narrows to this one point. Even with my eyes closed, I can sense his nearness. I want to please him. I want to ace this test.
“Caramel,” I finally say. I’m surprised by my own answer, but it’s the truth. “It’s like toasted caramel.”
“Clever girl.”
They’re dramatic and sexy and full of so much delicious banter, and frankly, I feel like I’m leveling up with this book. The day we finally announce will be one of the best days of the year.
2025 conventions:
I’ll be heading on the road again for a few cons this year! In the first half of the year, come see me at:
Wild & Windy West | Phoenix, AZ | Feb 14-15
Apollycon | Washington D.C. | April 9 - 13
Beachside Book Fest | Fort Lauderdale, FL | May 16-17
I won’t be selling books directly from my table, but I will have free Callahan swag to give out, and my books will be available on-site from the sponsored bookseller at each event. I hope to meet some of you!
Last but not least, thank you for making 2024 so amazing. The Callahans gained an even wider readership with each release, and I still pinch myself whenever I remember Wicked Serve launched onto the USA Today Bestseller list along with the first three books in the series. Thank you to the moon and back for helping to make a lifelong dream of mine come true <3
I hope you have a happy, healthy, fulfilling year! Until next time xx
Can't wait to read more from you in 2025!!