Welcome to My Newsletter!

Happy February, and welcome to my first-ever newsletter! I’m excited to share more about my publishing journey (book deal when???), talk about books that are stuck in my brain, and share conversations with some of your favorite (and soon-to-be favorite) authors.

Elizabeth

So, What’s Your Book About?

Whenever I tell someone I wrote a book, this is the first question I get asked. The book that I currently have on sub is easy to sum up—it’s about a writer who goes on a year-long tour with a band she hates. But if you want to know more? I’ve got you.

Rhiannon is a twenty-eight-year-old music journalist who hasn’t had a byline in months. Estranged from her hot-shot record executive father, she’s determined to make a name for herself all on her own. But now, her car has broken down, and she’s run out of money.

Filled with self-loathing, Rhiannon asks her lying, cheating, womanizing dad to secure her a year-long writing gig following Harbors of Echoes, the country’s hottest rock and roll band. But Toby, the band’s thirty-three-year-old frontman, is also America’s most notorious bad boy. Rhiannon has seen the chaos he sows firsthand: the first time she met him, his performance as a local bar turned into a brawl.

On tour, Rhiannon and Toby immediately butt heads. Every week, Rhiannon publishes a new article, and the fans who dismissed her as a “nepo-baby” slowly but surely begin to come around. One night, she overhears Toby writing a song, and she begins to wonder if his bad boy image might be just that. An image. 

But when Rhiannon learns that Toby’s been keeping a secret from her, everything falls apart. It’s all too much: the lying, the destruction, the nonstop scrutiny from the media and fans. Rhiannon doesn’t know if she can continue her relationship with Toby.

Rhiannon has to discover for herself that not every bad boy was going to hurt her like her father. Not every bad boy, it turns out, is bad at all. 

Books I Obsessed Over in January

I read 15 books in January. Here are the ones that I can’t stop thinking about.

Fast Five with Linny Mack

For my inaugural Fast Five, I reached out to my friend Linny Mack. She’s a fellow romance writer who was also in the querying trenches at the same time I was, and she’s preparing for the release of her debut novel. She’s a fantastic writer and an equally amazing friend.

I’m Linny Mack, and Changing Tides is my debut novel. When I set out to write it, I wanted to create relatable characters in their 30s and 40s who had endured some trials and tribulations in their lives before finding love. It is a sweeping love story about a woman named Sophie, who discovers her spouse of thirteen years having an affair on her birthday. She is devastated and flees to the tranquil beach town of Cape May, New Jersey where she meets her cranky new neighbor Liam, with a tragic past of his own. It's a slow-burn enemies-friends-lovers that will hopefully rip out your heart in the best way (haha) before putting it back together again. It comes out May 6, 2025, and it's available for pre-order now: Target, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Books-A-Million

Website: linnymack.com

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Pantser or plotter?

I'm a bit of both. I always start a book (I've written three) with a detailed outline and character descriptions. Sometimes, as I write, the outline changes, or I add events to the story, but I always have the shell laid out before I start. Usually, I will take a bit of time to write the outline and I often refer back to it when I'm drafting. Then there are times where I realize maybe I have over-plotted or I need to change a pivotal scene and that's where the pants-ing comes in. I don't go back and adjust the outline, I just write it the way it's in my head.

Drafting or editing?

Oh, I love both! Drafting something that has been swirling in my head for weeks or months at a time is so satisfying. I also edit as I write, often going back to rewrite or edit the previous scene before moving on. I also had a ton of fun with the developmental edits for Changing Tides. My editors were so amazing and offered me so many ideas to take it to the next level. Liam's arc, in particular, changed a lot from that original version and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out.

What's the best book you read in the past year?

So many. I am a romance reader to my core, so almost every book I recommend is going to be that. How about my top three? Just For the Summer by Abby Jimenez is one of those soul books that will surely stay with you long after you close it. I love how Abby always writes romance with impactful plotlines. For laughs, The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren had me absolutely cackling. And another one from a new-to-me author is When We Had Forever by Shaylin Gandhi. She debuted in December and her book is outstanding. I highly recommend all three of these!

Which of your characters do you identify with the most?

While I wouldn't say any of my characters are based on specific people, there are definitely parts of me in each of them. Sophie, my FMC, struggled with infertility for seven years before having her heart ripped out by her husband and having to start over. I don't identify with the infidelity she experiences, but I do unfortunately, have some experience with infertility and repeat pregnancy loss, something I feel isn't talked about nearly enough. I hope this part of Sophie's story will resonate with readers also walking this path.

What advice would you give to a new writer?

Oh, I love this question. When I was querying and on submission, every author I knew told me to keep writing. Don't get too emotionally attached to your first book (easier said than done!) because it may not ever get you an agent, and it may not ever sell. Keep those wheels turning, keep brainstorming new ideas, and keep going. If it's not the first book, it might be the next one.

When I was querying, I wrote a second novel, a standalone rom-com that we haven't tried to sell yet. That book is so close to my heart because it literally kept me going through the uncertainty of querying and submission. I hope one day it'll be on shelves, but if not, it surely served its purpose.

One thing many people don't understand is, that if you're an author seeking traditional publication, buckle up for the long haul. Nothing in this industry is fast. It's a constant game of hurry up and wait. It's the cliche saying, a marathon, not a sprint. It moves at a snail's pace until it doesn't, but the best thing you can do is occupy your mind with other projects until you reach your goal. Everything is subjective, and just because one person doesn't like it doesn't mean someone else won't. Keep going. Don't give up. Seventh-grade Linny would never believe this is happening to her, but it is! Nearly thirty years in the making. If you don't give up, you will succeed. All who persevere eventually do.

If you’re an author interested in being featured in the Fast Five, shoot me an email!

I’d love to hear from you!

Anything you want me to talk about? Questions you have about the writing and querying process? Authors you want for the Fast Five? Shoot me an email.