This is a really fun story and I encourage you to back it!

Iris, the MC’s best friend, has secrets and mysteries in book 1 we explore in book 2. She has more mysteries and secrets in book 3.

The timing around revealing his relationship to his family. It’s not a hard choice to pursue it, but he knows the news will go over poorly and he is trying to find the least bad time and way to deliver it.

My husband has an animation popping off on Instagram. He made a part 2 that people are loving and it's garnered him a big jump in followers (went from 1,000 5 weeks ago to over 4,000 today) and some zine sales. I am so proud and happy people are finally appreciating his hard work and talent 💞

Write the book you would like to see someone pull from a higgledy piggledy pile in a secondhand shop 63 years after your death and say, "This looks fucking weird. I think I will buy it for Joan."

From my forthcoming sports romance "At Your Pace" - Emerson finds a reason to spend more time with Valeria.

WOO release day for @5feetofredfury.bsky.social !!! Talismans of Sin is a really fun ride and I highly recommend. More fun characters and more adventures and more worldbuilding all at a pace that feels natural and consistent. Go order it now: www.amazon.com/dp/B0GTFN9KV...

If Emerson fails, he’ll regress in his emotional development. He’s already insecure about being a little “behind” in intimacy milestones compared to his peers. He needs to build trust and confidence and if he fails he would have to start all over with someone new.

IT’S MY TIME TO SHINE …I’m just being annoying. I don’t write in this genre but Hope is my name. I do try to inject this vibe into my romance writing, though. My characters talk about sustainability and other related values a few times when it makes sense!

I am 710 pages behind my reading goal (based on what I read last year) but I realized by this time last year I had 14 hours of in-flight time to read and this year it's been 0. I didn't quite realize how much last year's 45 hours of awake in-flight time impacted my reading counts.

Some love for these side characters, whose stories I can't wait to dig into soon:

A full first draft of my second novel is DONE! And I have plenty of word count to work with to revise and polish! A huge thanks to alpha readers @aiko-aslanian.bsky.social, @rwmeadors.bsky.social, and @incendiarysolution.bsky.social - I could not have done this without you. #amwriting #amediting

Listen I for one am stoked about the Empyrean novella news to hold us over until book 4 comes out #romantasy

We see the antagonist recruit the MC's help for various tasks in book 1 😅 but to be fair they're things that are a little easier for him to do physically.

Subbing "classic" - going with a tried and true favorite to kick off chapter 1 of Where We Land, where Emerson brings Valeria to meet his family for the first time.

Heartbroken camp staff start a casual relationship with 2 rules- she can't talk to her fling at school and they can't discuss the future until the last day of camp- but when someone breaks their end of the deal, they risk ruining their summers with lifelong friendships in danger. #posterpit #a #r

THE OFFICE X GOOD OMENS A satire of both business and the supernatural, Virgil Mora, Hell's Consultant, must restore Heaven's faith in Hell by saving a vampire-run Ohio gas station in just three months to save his job and Lucifer, the angel he's fallen for. #PosterPit #A #F #W #LGBT

Not a hero, but more of a role model of a group. Emerson embraces his role as captain of the team and enjoys some of the facets of leadership, but not all of them.

In WHERE WE LAND, the sequel to AT YOUR PACE, Emerson and Valeria take on senior year of college. He's looking for baseball coaching jobs. She's applying to Ph.D. programs. Will they find a way to reach their dreams together, or will their paths diverge upon graduation? #PosterPit #W #NA #R

When his best friend gives him an ultimatum, college athlete Emerson has one shot to prove he’s ready for love. For Emerson, wanting something is the easy part. Keeping it is where everything could fall apart. Looking for ARC readers now!: forms.gle/yYaYzWQbwxiH... #PosterPit #NA #R

“I would expect nothing less from you,” Hector says, his lip upturned, but not quite in a full-on smirk. Now I know where she got it from. — I don’t know if I have a favorite scene, yet! Maybe the dreaminess of the summer lake day scene at the beginning.

I would say the LI feels the doubt more than the MC. The MC screws up but realizes it immediately and doesn't want to throw it away. In the days between the screw-up and when the MC apologizes, the LI has doubts that their budding romance will materialize into a real relationship.

Heads up this is tomorrow. Don't be like me learning about these things day-of and cobbling something together!

A day late. There is no real physical danger in my sports romance. The emotional and psychological danger is more about potentially damaging relationships and a hit to one's ego if he faces rejection.

Jackie Robinson day at Yankee Stadium with my husband and his cousin and a bucket of chicken tenders and fries, rooting for the Angels, getting b roll for baseball novel marketing videos. We’re losing but it’s always an honor to see a Judge homer. #yankees #baseball

I worked on my first page for the contest! This is the motivation I need to finish my first draft because I am itching to get into editing mode seeing what a second pass of work did to my first page. Not perfect but more engaging and snappier for sure. #amwriting

Just finished Roll Play by @paisley-rose.bsky.social which was just as delightful as the first in the series, and I am currently reading and ARC of Talismans of Sin by @5feetofredfury.bsky.social which is a ton of fun!

Can’t wait to polish off my opening pages of my WIP for this contest for writers of Romance and Women's Fiction — tinyurl.com/wdwcon9 — Judged by Agent Rachel Beck of Liza Dawson Associates, via @writingdaywksp.bsky.social I would love an agent critique!

Emerson eats on the lighter side before baseball practice in the afternoons - usually a protein loaded salad.

“Straight guys can have issues around intimacy, too. Let’s unpack that.”

Yes. The antagonist is upstanding in her community. It’s just that those values don’t align with the MC’s.

In addition to my prior productivity I walked for an hour and voice dictated 835 words, plus read like 100 pages, and my husband’s discord friend expressed interest in my ARC! A win for the day #amwriting

Emerson is a neat and orderly dude and we hear about his grooming - clean shaven, and even a feet scrub routine before he does barefoot Pilates with the love interest

- Got almost all set up on KDP, Amazon approved my ebook available for pre order now! - Need to tackle book wrap tomorrow and do print setup - Made 3 fun book promo reels that don't require a collab post, so I can schedule ahead - having my BIL over for homemade pizza for his birthday 🍕 #amwriting

Emerson's best friend has decided it's time for him to stop being single, and challenges him to ask out the pretty girl in his group project:

Physical intimacy being offered so freely and quickly.

okay maybe writing a breakup scene in public was not the move because I'm tearing up lol #amwriting

Junior year of college should be perfect for baseball star Emerson. The only thing missing? Any kind of love life. But if he can’t break free from the expectations that have shaped him, he might lose the only person who’s worth making space for. ARC copies available now! #ProfilePit #TBP #NA #R

Goals today: - Finish clipping up the interview with @gunsmile.bsky.social - Draft interview questions for @marbach.bsky.social - Go to the library, maybe get a decent first draft polished of the end of my book, 2 or 3 chapters? They're all brain-dump drafted - Put away laundry - Swim - Read

Cute lil date snippet

I don’t know about a favorite but Emerson’s favorite color is dark green like the forest. He gets gifted a little tree to brighten up his stark dorm room and likes it!

I guess the first unexpected encounter is that the MMC and the LI donate blood together and she faints after, “literally swooning” into his arms.

I got a big project done for work that my manager was really excited about, and just in time for my annual review on Monday :) going to be a good Friday and I can focus on writing stuff this weekend after a few day break!

The house painting is done! Still a few weeks before we can drill into the walls so it looks a little bare, and the house still a little messy as a result, but I’m relieved it is done and I gave myself a pass on writing while my life was all chaotic. Excited to get back to it this weekend.

In addition to Ange being just a delightful person and writing community member here, this book is a certified banger so you should definitely check it out!

I went on Facebook for the first time in forever to post about my book and get ARCs from personal friends and in the memories it showed me a concert photo from 17 years ago 💀

My husband got accepted into a local art book fair! It takes place in the town my MMC is from, so while my romance is not an art book I think they might appreciate the vibes. New goal is to get the sequel out before it next year so I can submit and hopefully share a table with my husband :)

Emerson brings his bestie and wingwoman Iris, a general sense of “I’ll figure it out as I go,” and advice from people on Reddit and a made-up website that’s supposed to be Men’s Health.

The Devouring by @gunsmile.bsky.social comes out in two days! To help you get hyped, check out our interview about the book's inspo, writing process, and the weirdest thing A.M. Shilling had to google to write a cosmic horror novel with villain protagonists: youtu.be/KRgQ1FlfVho

Not really - there is foreshadowing in book 1 about the main antagonist in book 2, but it’s a romance so no hardcore villain.