Draft 1, Book 2, 30 Days, Oy vey.

Write the first draft of the second book in one month. No problem, right?

WOW.

Even just writing that sentence makes my heart pound.

August was…a month.

• We had two out of our three family birthdays to celebrate.

• I had out-of-state book clubs to (happily) attend.

• Mr. Deane had to travel cross country while timing a hurricane.

• And then there was that draft that needed to be written…

Let me say this now: writing a book in one month is NOT recommended. By me, anyway. And, I imagine, by any sane person.

But here’s the thing.

Publishing is all about hurry up and wait. Books have tremendously long lead times until they finally hit bookstore shelves (or our devices), which is how I found myself here…

A Day Like Any Other

One minute, I was blissfully standing in line at Legoland with Teeny Deanie, awaiting our chance to capture pics of the elusive stegosaurus on the Little Dino Trail (iykyk). The next, I’m reading an email from my publisher that asks, “were you serious about publishing your second book next year? If we like your premise, we can offer a December publication date.”

Suddenly, life was in a tailspin. This next book – a standalone that follows two people through the course of 20+ years – has some solid Christmas ties, so I couldn’t pass up the chance at a December release.

Before that, though, there were initial materials to turn in to make sure the publisher greenlit the idea. Oh, and there was that whole book to write…

Thankfully, I was able to hire my same developmental editor from When Happily Ever After Fails. I thought she was phenomenal – even more so once she heard the completed book is due in early February.

With that in mind, I spent August writing. And writing. And writing. And writing.

I did little else. I kept my daily work afloat, yes. And I made time for Teeny Deanie – as best I could. That was about it.

By the end of August, I was half dead…but Draft One was off. It’s been a huge weight off my shoulders.

Scenarios like this aren’t great for perfectionists like me. The stress was high. The pressure was palpable. The burn out was real.

No Regerts (sic)

I don’t think I’ll ever write a book in 30 days again…but do I regret it? Not in the least. I’m so, so excited that this holiday-heavy book (it’s not a Christmas book, but some major scenes take place during the holidays) will release at exactly the right time.

I’m also beyond thrilled for everyone to meet Dallas and Johnny. And to explore Austin, Texas, and its music scene.

That’s about all I can give up at this point, but with a story like theirs, I had to make sure I got them a pub date they deserved.

So, here we are. The developmental editor is finalizing her thoughts on this initial round of revisions (we’ll do three rounds total). The publisher and I are collaborating on the cover design and choosing the title. Simon & Schuster is waiting in the wings, ready to sell the hell out of this come next holiday season.

Until this next revision begins, however, you can find me in Lake Tahoe. I can honestly say I’ve never needed a break more, so this year’s six-week stint was much anticipated.

As complain-y as this newsletter may sound, I most certainly want to acknowledge what a position of privilege this all is. Not many people get to pursue their lifelong dreams. Even fewer get to do it multiple times.

I also know how lucky we are that Mr. Deane and I work from home, allowing us the flexibility to travel up here, and that we have sufficient income to rent a place for six weeks.

Finally, I’m extremely grateful to say that When Happily Ever After Fails won the 2024 NYC Big Book Award for romantic comedy. This author journey has very high highs and low lows. When you’re burned out from tight deadlines. When you feel like it’s never enough. When you know you’re dropping balls left and right and everyone seems to notice…it’s things like this that remind you you’re not a flaming bag of dog feces but a person trying their best.

One who often fails. One who’s too hard on herself. One who fantasizes about quitting sometimes but then remembers how much she loves writing and storytelling and hopefully entertaining others.

Thank you all for your continued support. If you haven’t already, I’d be honored and humbled to have a review from you. These reviews matter not just to myself, but to potential readers and to Amazon’s algorithm.

Okay, I better stop writing now before I get a case of word vomit and spew everything I love about this second book all over you. Stay tuned for more, including a title announcement and official cover design!