---

Sooooo, I know I’ve been MIA on here for almost two years, so oops. Although anyone who keeps up with me has probably seen me posting on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. I kept wanting to get back to posting on here, but I always overthink things and end up never doing them. I’ve also been working on some other things during that time, within the realm of writing, that I’m really excited about. It’s sort of the reason for this update, and to say, I SWEAR I WILL POST ON MY WEBSITE MORE. (I really mean it) Not that anyone is anxiously awaiting my posts, but it’s more of a kicking my own butt and making a public declaration so I actually do it kind of thing. I enjoy it and want to get back to it.

Now, on to my writing things that I’m excited about. I may have sort of written a novel, well, two actually, but only one is very close to being ready for public consumption. I’m extremely nervous and excited all at once. This book is my baby, the first one I’ve ever completed, and the idea of sending it out into the world to be judged and criticized is beyond scary. I write because I want others to enjoy my stories, but also, others reading my story kind of makes me want to puke. It came from my brain, and I often like to keep my brain very private, so it’s like letting everyone in to see how my brain works. And that TERRIFIES me.

I think another thing that makes it so scary is that my writing feels like an extension of me, and a part of me feels like if you reject my writing, you’re rejecting me. Which I know is not necessarily the case. Not every reader likes every single book or piece of writing they read. People have preferences, and that’s okay. Even with my fears, I want to take this plunge and let it out into the world. It will still be a few months before it is released because, as I’ve learned, there is a lot that goes into launching a book if you want to do it correctly. And I do want to do it correctly. I want to give my book the best chance and hopefully see it succeed.

This book has been a long time coming. I started and stopped it many times because I got discouraged or had major writer’s block, but I pushed through and finished it. I edited it to death. Truly, I read over and changed things so many times I got sick of it and had to put it away for a while. As much as I loved my story, I couldn’t keep combing over it the way I was. It was so hard to figure out what to leave in, what to take out, what felt vital to the story, and what made sense for my characters. It was a bit like I couldn’t see the forest for the trees. I wanted it to be absolutely perfect (the perfectionist in me was screaming), but realistically, I know nothing is perfect, and if I kept going over it again and again how I was, I would never be satisfied and never publish it.

It was bittersweet to finally finish, though, because I was done with these characters and their story. It made me a little sad to not be able to spend time with these characters anymore. I don’t know if everyone will fully understand that, but I’m sure other writers will. Maybe if you’re a reader, you will too, like when you finish a really good book and you’re sad to be done, and have what they call a book hangover. It’s a similar feeling. I grew attached to these characters and the life I created for them, and I just hope everyone else will love them as much as I do.

Since this is a bit of a soft launch for my novel, I will give you a bit about it. It is about a girl navigating her grief after her best friend since childhood dies in an accident. He was the closest person to her, and they meant the world to each other, so it was soul-crushing for her. Her grief and their memories loom over her and take a toll on her mental health, but she meets a wonderful guy in a grief support group who has been through something similar. He helps her begin to process everything and finally move forward as they grow closer.

That is not the official back-of-the-book blurb or anything, but just a quick little sneak peek at what the story is about. It would be in the young adult genre since the characters are eighteen to nineteen years old, and there is a romantic storyline between the two main characters. I am so excited (and scared) to share this with everyone, and I so hope you enjoy it and love the story as much as I do.

I will do an official release announcement with specific dates, more info, and teasers in the coming weeks/months! I can’t wait to get this going and officially be a published author.

XXXX(All Kisses),
Summer