Getting Sappy on Main

Hello lovelies!

It’s been a whirlwind of a spring and summer and I realized I haven’t written since Scot and Bothered came out!

The response to Jack and Brooke’s story has filled my heart so much. I think as a young writer, my book existing in the world was as big as I could dream. What I hadn’t given a lot of thought to was how it would feel if readers actually picked it up and connected with the story I poured so much of myself into.

And friends, I poured so much of myself into this book. If I haven’t told you, I was going through a divorce while writing Scot and Bothered. As you might expect, writing a romance in the midst of that was beyond challenging, especially a second chance (do they get back together or does Brooke push him off the cliff?? Just kidding, just kidding!! It’s a romance!!).

But it was also incredibly therapeutic to write these characters. Brooke, who is already so much like me—wanting to be perfect, wanting to get it right, afraid to step outside of her comfort zone. And Jack—struggling with a life that didn’t fit him and the fear of making a big change. Giving them real obstacles in their lives and relationship, and also a second-chance at love and at a life that felt more authentic, was uplifting in a way I wasn’t expecting, but should’ve.

Because what I’ve always loved so much about romance is the hope that pervades it. The hope of a brighter future, the hope of a big love, and the hope of facing hard things and coming out on the other side more sure, more confident, and more yourself.

Needless to say, this book was a lot harder to write than Kilt Trip. It was a lot more emotional and a lot more vulnerable. And because of that, it was scarier to put into the world—more so than I’d expected, because what could be scarier than putting a first book into the world?! But as many authors have talked about, Book 2 is its own beast.

I think a lot of authors only dream as big as my first dream—we rewrite and cry to our critique partners and rewrite some more, all in pursuit of this hope that our book will exist in the world. When our book does exist in the world, and real people who are not our mothers and best friends read it, Book 2 suddenly feels terrifying. Because what if the people who connected so deeply with Kilt Trip, who took my book to Edinburgh for photo shoots, who screamed about Jamie Fraser with me, who reached out to share stories of their mothers, didn’t like it??

But what I realized somewhere between rewriting the entire ending and panicking that you all would hate Scot and Bothered because it wasn’t as comedic as Kilt Trip, was that my readers are the most incredible part of this journey.

I’ve talked at length about how the writing community is such a warm and welcoming space I am so proud to be a part of. But the reading community is next level. I continue to be so amazed by the people who fall in love with our books, who make fan art and host themed-basket book clubs, who make reels that perfectly encapsulate the vibe of a story, and who reach out to authors to share the ways they connected with a story.

Thank you to all of you for reading. For ordering signed copies. For making reels and playlists and freaking out in my DMs about romance heroes with glasses. Thank you for sending me hairy coo content (seriously, it’s infinitely amusing to me how much I have broken some of your all’s algorithms), for coming to book clubs, and telling your friends about my stories.

You took my big dream and made it even bigger and brighter than I could have ever imagined.

While I’m getting all sappy on main, I wanted to share one of my most favorite things in the whole world. Michelle and Ashlee have hosted a traveling ARC for Kilt Trip and Scot and Bothered and they are some of my most prized possessions. My book goes traveling around the country to some of my dearest readers who tab their favorite parts, write in the margins, and draw me the most adorable pictures ever.

Okay, I’ve been writing for an hour and should probably get to work, but one last thing!

EDITING

I think I have forgotten in every single newsletter to mention my editing services. Have I told you I’m a developmental editor and story coach? I am!

I offer two main groups of editing services: developmental editing (for completed manuscripts) and story coaching (to brainstorm and read pages as you write).

Developmental Edits are for completed manuscripts where I read your story and write you an edit letter (in the style of an editor at a publishing house) where I focus on character arcs, plotting and pacing, the romance arc, tension, and stakes—depending on your story’s strengths and the ways I see to deepen the narrative and make your story unforgettable.

I also offer a Story Map which is a visual representation of your book where I track the character arc, romance arc, and external plot scene-by-scene so we can see where the arcs are speeding up, slowing down, skipping important beats, or doubling up.

Story Coaching is my absolute favorite. It’s for in-progress manuscripts, and I work with you as you write. We can get on zoom calls to brainstorm or talk through tough spots in your manuscript and I can also read pages as you write and give feedback along the way to help keep you on track in the story and accountable to your goals. What I like about story coaching so much (besides chatting about romance ideas all day) is that it’s very flexible and looks different for every author I work with. Some people love having deadlines and sending me pages every week. Some people call me only when they’re stuck.

Okay, now I really need to get to work!

You can read more on my website (https://www.alexandrakiley.com/editing) if you’re working on a book and wanting support. I haven’t been open to new clients this year, but I will have a couple of openings starting in September as some of my authors wrap up their books and head into the querying trenches!

I hope you all are doing well and finding big and small ways to adventure this summer.

Thank you again for being the very best readers a girl could ask for!

Scots of love,

Alex