Happy Two Year Indie-Author-versary To Me!

Today marks the two-year anniversary of my very first novel, Yield to Me. Horray! Happy Indie-Author-versary to me. :)

I can confidently say that I'm improving with each year, and what more can you ask for than that? I went from writing a pretty slow burn and mildly steamy forbidden BDSM relationship, (the Dreams of Glass Trilogy, featuring Riley and Owen, who will always have a special place in my heart), to the strange silent love of mafia men and their badass heroines (looking at you, Axe Adler!). How is that for a transition?

I've always wanted to write. I had more than twenty letter-books as a middle schooler (the composition notebooks where you write back and forth with a friend--did anyone do that too?), not because I was that friendly (admittedly, I am very antisocial and have major social anxiety), but because I loved to write. I wrote a fantasy novel with my best friend in the eighth grade, then went on to write dark poetry in high school, and finally, after reading my first smutty BDSM book at the ripe young age of eighteen during my freshman year of college, I emphatically decided that yes, I wanted to be a writer and write those smutty kinky books too.

While getting my bachelor's and master's degrees (both focusing on fiction writing), I wrote erotic psychological horror short stories (which actually lends itself perfectly to dark romance, but that's another story). I thought I knew a lot about writing already, because I had a mother-effing degree in it, and I was damn proud of that. But let me tell you: I have learned SO DAMN MUCH from the romance community in the last two years. I feel like my skill set is so different now. Again, I know I've improved, and that means so much to me.

I read every review, even the 1-star ones, and I take them to heart and try to learn from them, even if it hurts. I read every email and post from readers, and I absolutely love talking to readers and hearing how they interpret my books. So for every person that leaves a review or sends a random email, be it one of my amazing ARC readers or an organic reviewer who stumbles upon my book--thank you for giving me another skill to work on in writing, and thank you so damn much for giving my books a chance.

Right now, I raise my daughter at home (which is truly a full-time job--shout out to all of my SAHMs out there), and I write full time too. My goal has been to make enough money writing dark romance novels so that when my daughter goes to school in a couple of years, writing--my dream career--can be my full-time job. And every year, like I said earlier, I can confidently say I'm doing better. I'm doing what I love, I'm writing stories that I love, and I'm so damn fulfilled. 

Which is a very long-winded way to say thank you, readers, for sticking with me. I don't know if any of you have been here with me since the Yield to Me days, but hell, if you're here now, it means so much to me. That anyone actually reads my books and enjoys them just...it takes my breath away. Quite literally. The first time I saw one of my books recommended by an ARC reader in a Facebook group, I was so stunned, I was shaking.

You're helping my dreams come true and I am so damn glad that you're here. I can't wait to continue this journey with you! Thank you. <3

Lots of love,
Audrey