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By day, I’m a Senior Communications Channels Analyst in corporate communications at COUNTRY Financial: the kind of job where storytelling wears a blazer (with a very specific HEX code color). By night (and let’s be honest, early mornings and caffeine-fueled weekends), I write romance novels: the kind where storytelling wears flannel, flirts shamelessly, and occasionally burns a batch of honeybuns.

Before Ivy and Joey head off to (hopefully) charm the publishing world, I wanted to pull back the curtain and reveal what’s behind the bakery doors.

Don’t resent the middle. Own it. Hone it. Sharpen it. Because those who master the quiet seasons are the ones who eventually command the loud ones.

Let me tell you about the single tweet that landed me a literary agent.

People don't buy products. They buy people.

Here are my top tips for writing banter that truly pops.

Being an author isn’t about a two-hour sales window. It’s about trusting your voice, believing in your stories, and continuing to share them, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

Being the most improved player isn’t a throw-away award. In fact, I would argue that it’s the most valuable award I could have ever received

I took a step back and reflected on how I felt writing my first book and identified five things you can expect from the inaugural process.

Don't get me started on vision boards, but I do have 5 goals for 2025.

BEFORE you begin querying your list of literary agents, I strongly recommend that you take the time to build a strong query package.

“If this is book one of a trilogy, why don’t we also pencil in publishing dates for book 2 and book 3?"

If you want to build a social media strategy for your author brand, here’s what you have to do...

Every story needs an editor. Whether it’s a copy edit, line edit, or developmental edit, a story becomes stronger if a professional...

I’ve compiled a list of things I’ve found along the way that can really help an author after a beta read.

On July 20, 2024, I attended the 9th annual Writers on the River multi-author event in Peoria, Illinois. I shared a table with my friend and

Universal storylines help us tell effective and engaging stories.

“But you don’t have to be a David Bowie fan to appreciate the power of the setting.” Last fall, I instructed a course at my local...

“It takes time and skill, but the cornerstone of every author’s brand begins with a newsletter.” Prior to the launch of my first novel, I...

“The end of book one is the most crucial place in the entire series; it’s the catalyst for everything else to begin.” When I wrote my...