The Art of the Author’s Note
And a sneak peek at mine.
Cross-posted on Substack.
There is an art to a good author’s note. I think some people ignore them (like they ignore prologues…what??), but I always read them because, when done well, they set up the story you’re about to be told. Who doesn’t want a little extra information before starting to read a book? It’s like going to an open mic and the singer-songwriter gets on stage, adjusts the mic, and starts tuning her guitar as she says, “I wrote this one during a really tough time in my life. I was scared to share it with you at first, but my friend over there convinced me. I hope you enjoy it.” And then, of course, she strums her first chord and sings the most beautiful song you’ve ever heard.
A good author’s note is like that. It sets the stage. It places the art in a context and a time you wouldn’t otherwise have known about. It centers the characters and plot in a time and place in the author’s creative process. Sometimes, it even talks about difficult subjects and why they’re part of the book.
Whether or not I’m good at author’s notes isn’t for me to say, but I treat them exactly like I treat this newsletter—like I’m sitting down with a friend or taking the mic in an intimate coffee shop. I’m just here to tell you a story, it says. This story is important to me, and I hope it’s important to you, too. Thanks for being here. I hope you enjoy it.
So, today, I thought I’d share my author’s note for Not a Strong Enough Word. Because this story is important to me, and I hope it’s important to you, too. Thanks for being here. I hope you enjoy it.
But first…
This week’s action is simple. I want you to buy a book from an indie bookstore this weekend. If you don’t have an indie near you, buy from one who offers shipping (you can pre-order Not a Strong Enough Word from Heartbound Book Shop), or from bookshop.org or libro.fm. (You can get all my full-length paperbacks from bookshop.org, and you can get Common Grounds from libro.fm!) This Indie Bookstore Day is an important one. After months of low sales for indies, a few large retailers have scheduled their big sales right around one of the biggest sales days of the year. So go ahead, treat yourself while doing something really great for an indie bookstore near you.
Author’s Note – Not a Strong Enough Word
It’s interesting how stories come to life, isn’t it? Some languish for years—decades, even. They sit in a writer’s brain, slow-cooking to perfection. Some seem ready, only for the writer to feel like each word is torturously being extracted, slowly and painfully. Some come on like lightning, flashing bright and falling onto the page like the subsequent rain.
Not a Strong Enough Word was a little bit of lightning, a little bit of torture, and a little bit of rain.
I’m not going to tell you this book was fun to write; writing about healing rarely is. But it was necessary. Scarlett’s story, especially, was one I needed to tell. When her storyline came to me, I turned it around, looking at it from all angles, trying to find any other way besides the one that struck me like lightning to tell this the way I wanted to. Reader, when I say I sat on her story for weeks, I’m not kidding. I even quit writing it because I didn’t think I could go through with describing her pain and heartbreak—it hits close to home, after all, and I didn’t think I was ready.
But I was ready. I needed to write it. The only way out was through.
And in the process of giving Scarlett and Ryan their strength, I realized that I, too, am strong enough to tell Scarlett’s story (which, in so many ways, is also my own), to give her the healing I needed, to see it through until the end, to bear witness to her messy life and the unbreakable love she and Ryan share, both because of and despite her trauma.
Dear reader, please stop here if you don’t want spoilers, but it is my job to prepare those who might need a heads-up. First, my characters use profanity and there are two explicit scenes meant for mature audiences in chapters 16 and 24. I believe these are crucial to the development of my characters, but you can do whatever you see fit with that information.
Scarlett experiences intense burnout which results in depressive episodes, which are both described on page. She has a therapist, and she takes medication to help her manage this. There is also an early miscarriage described on page, and the loss of a parent off page.
I have tried to approach all of these subjects with authenticity and care. As someone who has experienced a late-term miscarriage, my story is different from what is discussed in this book, but a lot of the emotions are the same. There was a time when I wouldn’t have been able to read a book like this, so if that is where you are in your journey, please put this aside for now. It’ll be here for you when you’re ready.
I’ve always been strong. I’ve had to be. But even over five years after my own loss, I’m starting to find a healing I didn’t even know I needed. And that is because of you, dear reader. Every person who has read my words and given me the courage to continue to pursue this passion of mine has been a balm for my soul.
Thank you for being here. I hope Scarlett and Ryan offer you the same healing they’ve given me.
I have some exiting things on the horizon! But please remember to support your local indie bookstore this weekend. And come see me at Our Town Books in Jacksonville, IL tomorrow! I can’t wait to see you there.
I have decided to put Not a Strong Enough Word in KU from release day (May 14) on. This means that anyone who has preordered an ebook from my website will get theirs on release day, but I will not be selling from my website after May 14. If you want to get your ebook from me, now is the time! If you are going to buy it anyway, I suggest you order from me. Not only is it cheaper, but you get a copy of the book to own, and you can load it on any device you want! Win-win.
I’m deep in the first book of my witchy romance, and I want to get back to it! But this one is coming together so nicely. I am ready to bring a little magic to your TBR. More info coming soon!
Looking for something to read while you wait for Not a Strong Enough Word? Check out The No Rules Roommate by Holly June Smith!
From the bestselling author of Can I Tell You Something? comes the final novel in the Sunshine Book Club series.
Stick to the plan, and everything will go your way, right? Right?
English teacher and self-improvement addict, Megan Porter, has carefully crafted goals for the year ahead; get promoted, have adventures with her friends, and find true love after a painful breakup.
Across town, twenty-three-year-old Ollie Mortimer’s year is off to a rocky start. Desperate to escape his snobby parents’ expectations, he’s converting a beat-up campervan, and his only friend is his boss.
Megan’s plans unravel when her roommate moves out, and an injury lands her in hospital. Her protective father insists Ollie, his most loved employee, moves in to keep an eye on her. Neither is thrilled, but despite their initial clashes, and nine-year age-gap, they slowly find common ground through shared meals and late-night conversations.
When they are mistaken for a couple, Megan surprises Ollie by playing along – a game that quickly becomes impossible to stop.
Torn between her careful plans and the allure of adventure, is Megan willing to rewrite her future for a chance at true happiness?
I hope to see those of you who are local at Our Town Books tomorrow! And I hope you snag some great books at your local indie bookstore this weekend.
Happy reading,
Allie