reader, i was burned out
Hello my summer tomatoes,
I just wrote a little over 30k in about two weeks. This came on the heels of writing a pitch + detailed synopsis and doing character development for this project just a smidge earlier in June. I’ve alluded to it a bit on Insta, but this is all for a proposal, a new project I’m hoping a publisher will want—and yes, while it’s romance, it’s also fantasy! I had a great time working on it, and you will get to read it eventually, whether it’s with a publisher or indie.
These are the vibes in emojis (!!)
🐺🌕🩸✨👑💌🖤🪢💍💐🦇⚡️∞🕯️🔮
30k in two weeks is much faster than I had been writing previously for… ages. I don’t know when I became so slow, really, but the further I’ve gone in the romance space, the harder it has been to produce words. (I mean, okay, I do know—perfectionism and pressure are bitches.) There’s a reason why YES, CHEF is coming out next summer; last year, I wrote and scrapped an entire book that I hated, and everything got thrown out of whack. I was thinking about that book, and even YES, CHEF (which I adore, don’t worry!), and how those experiences differed from writing this fantasy romance? romantasy? paranormal? proposal. Burnout snuck up on me, and I didn’t realize just how long it took me to recover until I dove into a new project that reminded me how much I love this whole writing thing.
So, yeah, just before Wicked Serve came out last year, I asked my editor if we could pull the book I’d been working on. She was supportive, fortunately, but that meant I needed to go back to the drawing board and write YES, CHEF. After the whirlwind of Wicked Serve’s release and lots of travel, I finally got in the groove of writing again last fall. But YES, CHEF didn’t come easy. It certainly wasn’t a 30k in two weeks sort of situation. I clawed my way through it, simultaneously retreating from social media. The instincts I had were correct—I needed to recharge. To breathe. To prove I still had it, that I wasn’t a one series fluke, and get to the point where something new would blossom in my mind.
And then the other day, looking at my proposal draft, I realized that I really have gotten to the other side. I’m back to using Insta (which I missed, after lots of distance!), I’m reading a ton, I’m moving my body and journaling and generally feeling good. And I’m working. A lot!
All this is to say, it’s okay if life is difficult and you’re not sure why, and give yourself grace if you’re experiencing burnout. Time will help, and so will proving to yourself that you’re capable of continuing the things you’re passionate about. Sometimes you don’t know just how un-okay you’ve been until you come out on the other side and realize how things have changed. Cheers to my good friend Sophia Travers for helping me come to that realization <3 (And keep your eyes out for her upcoming billionaire romance, The Heir!)
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new releases from friends <3
If you’re looking for your next read, check out these new stunners from Olivia Hayle, Stephanie Archer, and C.W. Farnsworth! Fake dating billionaires, enemies-to-lovers hockey romance, and boss/assistant accidental pregnancy! What more could you want out of your TBR :’)
🩷 Brother's best friend
💚 Virgin heroine
🩷 Fake dating
💚 Dating + spice lessons
🩷 Slow burn
💚 Lots of praise
🩷 He helps her get over her people-pleasing!
Sometimes the fantasy isn’t just the billionaire... it’s someone teaching you how to set a boundary and praising you for it. Also there’s kissing. Lots of it. For practice (obviously.)
Out now! Read it here: https://geni.us/thefakinggame
The only way to get my inheritance? Marry Alexei Volkov—the grumpiest enforcer in the NHL, a brutally handsome jerk, and the last man I’d ever fall for.
In public, we act as besotted newlyweds, but in private, we’re at each other’s throats. He’s competitive, arrogant, and surly. The guy’s never cracked a smile in his life. He’s jealous of my colleague, glares at my high heels, and insists he’s not attracted to me. He’s only marrying me for citizenship.
Fighting with Alexei is more fun than expected, though, and beneath his grouchy exterior, Alexei is surprisingly caring, protective, and generous.
He cooks for me and worries about my safety.
He sends me flowers with secret meanings and spends way too much money on me.
He makes me sleep in his bed and calls me his wife.
For a guy who said he’d never fall in love with me, Alexei’s doing a good impression of it… and now I’m wondering if this marriage is fake after all.
Out now! Read it here: https://mybook.to/GlovesOff
Playboy heir to an empire, Kit Kensington has it all: money, status, looks, power. As Kensington Consolidated’s newest employee (and future CEO), Kit arrives ready to exceed the high expectations that accompany his last name. However, when his new assistant turns out to be Collins Tate, he finds himself off-balance for the first time in his life.
With one glaring exception, Collins Tate has spent six years carefully avoiding the immature billionaire who seems to be universally adored by everyone else. Following an ill-advised bet, which resulted in a night with him, Collins is determined to return to being the one woman who finds Kit resistible. Except she really needs a fresh start and a new job.
Surprisingly, working with Kit isn’t awful. Shockingly, they make a good team. For the first time in years, Collins starts to feel like she made the right decision.
Until their agreement to pretend that night never happened becomes impossible.
Kit Kensington might be a decent boss. But he’s the last person Collins would have picked as the father of her child.
Too bad … it’s too late.
Out June 24th! Preorder here: https://geni.us/antiherocwf
hey, south florida!
Last but not least, if you’re in the area and a baseball fan, consider coming to tomorrow night’s Marlins game for their Book Swap Night! I’ll be there with author J Sterling to chat all things books in a discussion hosted by the Girl Please podcast! More info and tix below. The panel starts at 5:30 with the game at 7:10!
And, of course, you can find out more info about my books HERE.
Until next time! xx