Cross-posted on my website.
I’d love to say that I’m deep in the drafting trenches, working on book two of the Strong Enough series. It’s not that I’m NOT doing that…it’s just that writing these days is looking mostly like either staring off into space and musing about existence, being interrupted approximately 293,887 times by my five-year-old (and at least twice by my ten-year-old), or procrasti-cleaning.
Which I argue all counts under the umbrella of WRITING, but I digress.
The point is that there aren’t many words getting on the page. Which is fine. It’s part of the process, and I also gave myself until September to rest, ruminate, and recover from the start of the year. So we are right on track.
But the problem is that I still believe Not a Strong Enough Word was my best work. How do I ever follow that up with something better? How do I keep growing when I feel like I maxed out?
So that’s what we’re going to talk about today. And also be sure you read to the end for an important poll about my serial holiday novella that will be appearing exclusively on this Substack!
(We are going to be talking a teeny bit about miscarriage today, so if that’s something you need to avoid today, skip the “Thoughts” section.)
But first…
My indie editor, Mandi, messaged me this past week to tell me that she hoped I took some time this week to make myself some cold foam cold brew or whatever we’re calling it. So on Saturday, I did. Let’s not talk about the fact that I did it at 1:00 in the afternoon and then didn’t sleep well that night. That’s unimportant. I treated myself, and that’s what mattered.
I’ve been a little obsessed with brown sugar cinnamon syrup this month. It’s a flavor that feels like fall without being pumpkin-y (I still think it’s too early for pumpkin), and it brings me joy.
What is bringing you joy this week? Tell me in the comments. I need some happy news!
I’ve made no secret about the fact that I think Not a Strong Enough Word is my best work. I mean, I know it might not be everyone’s favorite of mine—I don’t even know if I’d call it my favorite—but I do believe it has been my best work so far. It’s tightly plotted. The prose reflects the story, meaning that it slows down and becomes more intentional as Scarlett falls deeper into her burnout and depression. And, because these two are word people, the figurative language and voice reflect that. (I leaned heavily on my training in poetry writing for that piece, and I’m still very proud of it.) Speaking of voice, Ryan and Scarlett have two very distinct voices in their point of view sections, which I think is always true, but especially so in this book. Ryan is a bit more melodramatic (in a good way…there’s a lot of yearning), and Scarlett is sarcastic and self-aware as she figures out this new chapter of her life. And on top of all of this, we have an outside villain—something I tend to avoid writing—and what kept them apart in the past keeps them apart again in the present. Sure, they kind of fall back into the same old patterns as before (who wouldn’t), but they figure it out this time, and everyone is happy with their decisions in the end.
See? It’s well done.
But I think more than that has been weighing on me. I’m an author, editor, and teacher. I can (and will) write another tightly-plotted, voice-forward romance. That’s a given. The true problem here is that Not a Strong Enough Word was so personal. (If you don’t remember, I talked about this here, here, and here.) In my marketing and subsequent book tour, most of what I talked about was how much I related to Scarlett—and not just her miscarriage, but her burnout, too. I am burned out! I’ve been very upfront about that, and it’s why I chose to write Not a Strong Enough Word in the first place. The miscarriage was added as I was trying to figure out the end of the book, not at the start. In fact, I picked up that outline and looked at it every which way trying to find any other plot point that would work because I did not want to write about miscarriage. It’s my one trigger. The one thing I avoid reading and writing about because I’m never quite sure how my central nervous system is going to handle it.
But it was the only way forward that I could see to make this story compelling in the way I wanted it to be.
With the addition of this plot point, Not a Strong Enough Word became even more personal. Scarlett, with her burnout and past trauma…and her sarcasm and self-deprecation (and love of baking shows) was so much of me that, even though the details were different, it almost became difficult for me to separate fact from fiction. I internalized so much of the book, especially as I talked about it more and more in my marketing. Which was healing, but also convinced me that this was the book of my soul. It was my oeuvre. My masterpiece.
And then it got a trad deal, so…you know. It basically justified all of this in my head.
Not a Strong Enough Word became something bigger than just a book to me. Which, now that I type it out, sounds silly. How could a book be bigger than a collection of words and lines and pages? But I think we all know that sometimes, it’s not about the physical thing. When we say a book becomes our whole personality for a time, sometimes that’s not tongue-in-cheek. Sometimes, it’s true. And that’s what happened to me.
To be honest, I always had ideas for other books in this series. I wrote several of the side characters with open-ended plots in mind. But I never really thought I’d go through with it. How do you follow up a book—an experience—like this? One that means so much to you? No…one that means everything to you?
Imposter syndrome set in pretty quickly after that. Not only am I supposed to be writing my first traditionally published book, but it has to live up to the one that got the deal in the first place? Yeah…that’s a recipe for disaster.
So what’s an author to do?
I tried a lot of things! Outlining. Outlining again when I didn’t like that first one. Working on something else. Outlining AGAIN when I didn’t like that one either. Putting everything away for a while. Surprise-releasing a new book to distract myself. Outlining again. Cleaning a lot. Working out. Contemplating going to my publisher and telling them to forget the whole thing because this is never going to work.
And then you know what happened? I thought maybe going through Not a Strong Enough Word to make sure the details about my side characters are in order would be a good idea. So I grabbed my paperback off my shelf. It was bittersweet, knowing the cover and interior formatting I put so much time and love into were going to change. I held it in my hands for a moment, just studying it. Feeling its weight.
Interestingly, it didn’t weigh a whole lot. Less than a pound, probably. Funny, because it seemed so much heavier in my memory.
I started flipping through the pages, searching for my side characters. But I paused on certain scenes to read the whole thing. That turned into reading full chapters and, before I knew it, I had re-read the whole book.
It was a good book. A great book, even. I really enjoyed it. But you know what?
That’s all it was. Just a book. Just some words and lines and pages.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m still majorly proud of this book. I’m proud of how many people messaged me after reading it to tell me they felt seen. Of how many reviews I’ve been tagged in that said I got the mental health stuff right. Of the book tour I put together for myself where I really busted out of my comfort zone. Of the trad deal this book got me. But it’s still just a book. And it’s personal, but it’s not autobiographical. It’s special, but it’s not the most important thing I’ve done or will ever do. It’s beautiful, but I can use it as a stepping stone to create something equally so.
Which just goes to show you that sometimes we build things up in our heads to be larger than life, when really they’re not. As someone prone to anxiety, I really should have seen this coming but, hey, live and learn, right?
All of that is to say that I am “working” on the second book in this series. I actually have a few chapters written, and I love them already. I’m excited to dive in more, but I’m also taking my time to transition into this new school year and be present for my kids as they do the same.
Because we’re in a transitional period—and because of some ongoing (minor, but annoying) health stuff—along with preparing for signing events and conventions, I’ve put a pause on sales of signed copies from my website and TikTok shop. This includes bookstore wholesale orders for now. But don’t worry! They’ll be back.
But if you can see me at any of these events, you can snag a signed copy there!
September 6, 2025
Meet Me On North Book Crawl – Downtown Milwaukee
Preorders have closed, but I will have limited books available for sale, and I will sign anything you bring with you!
September 7, 2025
Printers Row Lit Fest – Chicago, IL
Steamy Lit booth from 11-11:50am
Little Bean Books booth from 12:30-1:30
More info to come!
October 3-5, 2025
Book Harvest – Chicago, IL
Preorder here!
And one more thing! I’m getting ready to start a serial holiday novella right here on Substack for paid subscribers! I think I’m going to try to drop two chapters every other week, or maybe one chapter a week, or maybe I’ll just drop whatever I can get to at any given time! It’s going to be a road trip Nutcracker retelling
But here’s the fun part!! Paid subscribers are going to get to vote on certain elements at the end of each chapter. Whatever wins the vote will get written into the next installment. Sometimes it’ll be small things, like what they’re going to eat for dinner. But sometimes, it’ll be a big thing like should they kiss yet, or where should they go next on their road trip?
If this sounds chaotic, that’s because it is a little, but I promise I have a plan for all of these choices, and I’m certain I have the skill, desire, and drive to pull this off and give you a really fun, festive experience.
So, here’s your first poll as I start making plans for this thing. And anyone can vote on this one, paid subscriber or not! The poll will be open for 3 days.
This is going to be fun, and I am so excited. Want in on the fun? Be sure to join me as a paid subscriber before we get started in October!
Y’all. DO I HAVE A REC FOR YOU. Eliza MacArthur is a freaking genius and her books are fantastic. If you haven’t read Soft Flannel Hank, you absolutely need to. It’s got literally everything you could ever want—a strong, silent, broken man! A witch! All the yearning and pining! Therapy for him on page! Suspense! Magic! An incredible cast of side characters!
And then go ahead and buy ’Til All the Seas Run Dry while you’re at it because trust me, you’re going to want it when you’re done.
Soft Flannel Hank
Esther MacLaren never pictured her life going so spectacularly sideways. A thirty-five-year-old witch with an art degree and no other job prospects, she took a job bartending at a vampire-owned nightclub in Savannah. But after seeing something she wasn’t meant to, Esther has been on the run for months. With nothing but her intuition to guide her, Esther finds herself in the Pacific Northwest, careening directly into the path of Hank Dove.
Hank Dove is as big as he is quiet. He’s forty-five, divorced, depressed, and trying therapy for the very first time. When Esther blows into his quiet, lonely life with all the subtlety of a squall, Hank is left reeling by feelings and desires he thought were long gone. Maybe, just maybe, he’s not quite as stuck as he thought.
A one-night stand feels like so much more, but Hank discovers that he doesn't trust as easily as he used to. All of Esther's dangerous secrets don't help. How can he keep her safe if he doesn't know the truth? And how can he let himself love her if she won't stay?
Soft Flannel Hank is a contemporary, paranormal, dual POV romance with open door/explicit scenes. This book is intended for audiences 18+. HEA guaranteed.
’Till All the Seas Run Dry
The rules for selkies are simple. Don’t tell anyone you’re a selkie or the mortals will try to trap you. Don’t lose track of your sealskin or the mortals will definitely trap you.
Jory did everything right. Even when she fell in love with the shipwrecked sailor she rescued, she kept her secret. But tragedy struck, taking her love, and landlocking her anyway. Resigned to her fate after centuries of searching for her lost sealskin, Jory made her way to the tiny coastal Washington town of World’s End. When a new friend needs her help, Jory’s world is upended by the discovery that she wasn’t the only one keeping secrets.
Callum is tired. After nine hundred years as a vampire, immortality has begun to feel suffocating. Or, perhaps, it’s the fact that he’s spent centuries regretting the role he played in his one true love’s demise. A loose end leads him to the Pacific Northwest, where he receives the surprise of a dozen lifetimes.
What happens when the dead aren’t really dead at all?
Fate brought them together, cruel circumstances forced them apart, and now Jory has a choice to make. Should she return to the life she loved before she knew him? Or take a chance on the man for whom she left it all behind?
'Til All the Seas Run Dry is a contemporary, paranormal, dual POV romance with open door/explicit scenes. It is the second book in the Elements of Pining series, although it can be read as a standalone. This book is intended for audiences 18+. HEA guaranteed.
I hope everyone who gets a long weekend in the US gets to enjoy it! Soak up those last summery rays of sunshine and eat BBQ food or whatever it is you do on this occasion.
Oh, and I hope you have a chance to get lost in a good book!
Happy reading,
Allie