(And also a title reveal for the next book? Keep reading!)

There are two things I have recently discovered that I hate about writing. One, is that it doesn’t afford me any time to read for fun when I’m nearing a deadline, or in the midst of release, or otherwise behind (which is a lot of the time). And two, is when I have to continually talk about my books as “my WIP” or “book 4” or “that book I’m working on that’s coming soon, but you don’t know enough about it for me to say much more.” (That last one is particularly cumbersome.)

So today, I’m going to talk a little about how putting the WIP away to read a whole book just for fun, and then I’m going to go ahead and just tell you what the WIP is titled because… why not? But first…

My journey to be less caffeinated is actually going pretty well during the week. Though, weekends are a different story. On weekends, my husband will come up to me and ever-so-sweetly ask if I want more coffee, to which I’ll respond, “I just finished my third cup!” And he’ll say, “But it’s half-caf. So it’s really only like one and a half.”

Bless his over-caffeinated heart, because I always, ALWAYS, say, “Yeah, okay. Give me more.”

I read one book in January. One. And it was this week. I started it on the 27th and finished it at the eleventh hour (literally) on the 31st.

OK, that’s not entirely true. I read The Write Choice probably 3 times before release. I also wrapped up an editing client in January, so I definitely read that entire book a few times. I’m reading lots of short texts for the unit I’m teaching, though we aren’t reading full books yet this semester. So it’s not like I haven’t been reading. It’s just that I haven’t been reading for fun.

Reading for pleasure is a different experience than reading for work. I know you all know this, but if I had forgotten, maybe it’s worth the reminder. As readers, it would seem we tend to think that all reading is fun, but it’s really not. Reading to analyze, reading to market, reading to edit… they’re all very different from reading for the sheer pleasure of it.

A lot of the research on reading for pleasure has been done on adolescents, which makes sense. We’re often interested in educational outcomes for that age group, and reading is educational. But it’s worth stating nonetheless. According to Scientific American:

We discovered that reading for pleasure in early childhood was linked with better scores on comprehensive cognition assessments and better educational attainment in young adolescence. It was also associated with fewer mental health problems and less time spent on electronic devices.

That last sentence is something that seems to be true for adults, as well. How many readers on Bookstagram say they’re reading for their mental health? Or that, once they stop scrolling and open up their books, they feel better?

The benefits of reading for pleasure don’t stop at adolescence, either. According to Mather Hospital:

We all know that reading is good for us. It can improve brain and memory function and keep your brain operating more effectively as you age. Reading also enhances connectivity in the brain, reduces stress, promotes relaxation, improves sleep, and has the potential to decrease the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s.

I’m probably repeating what we all already know. And yes, I do know this. But I still haven’t been making the time to read. Everything else seems so important right now, and it’s a case of, “I’ll read as soon as I finish these other things first.” And then those other things took so much time that I was left with only one option, which was to sleep. (I also know how important working out is for my physical and mental health, but ask me how many times I worked out in January. The answer is… also not as much as I’d have liked.)

So, when I found myself completely stuck on my next book, I took to Threads. I asked, basically, what one is to do when one doesn’t actually like the book they’re working on. (I was asking for a friend, but you all saw right through that. It was me. I’m the friend.) People responded with some great ideas, but a lot of them didn’t seem to resonate with me. So I took a step back and looked at my life. What was I liking?

The answer: Not much.

Which sounds depressing—and maybe it is—but it was the signal I needed. I was burned out.

I forced myself to put my Word doc away. I wrapped up editing for my client, put a pin in my own manuscript, scheduled a couple of Instagram posts, and closed all the tabs and windows. (Which, if you know me at all, you know is a huge feat.) And then, I picked up a paperback.

It wasn’t a special book to me. Well, it is now, but I needed the release of reading something without hype or pressure. It was just a paperback that I bought on a whim at Barnes & Noble in the fall because I liked the cover and had heard good things. I settled in on Saturday after getting home unexpectedly early from a tournament, and started reading.

And then, I read almost all day Sunday.

And Monday, again, when I got home.

I downloaded it on my Kindle from Libby so I could read it late into the night while I was in bed.

And I finished it on Wednesday night after a very long evening event at school.

But the switch flipped around Sunday afternoon. My brain suddenly felt open. I wanted to put the book down to work on my WIP. I was able to see things about it that I couldn’t see before. I was excited about a few additions I could make. I figured out what I didn’t like about it, and I had ideas to fix it.

It was like the simple act of reading something just for the joy of doing it opened the floodgates of my creativity and my mood. It felt like my brain had opened up again.

You hear people talk all the time about filling your cup, and I tend to think my cup is pretty full. I have a gorgeous family, not one but TWO jobs I truly enjoy, and a host of friends. I really, actually, honestly love most of the hours in my day. But, the moral of this story is that, sometimes, you need to step away from everything. Not power down your brain, per se, but let it rest. Distract it with something shiny and low risk. And that will, hopefully, help open you up again.

(Side note: Somebody please remind me of this during my next release month.)

Am I flipping the Updates and the Reads and Reviews sections because I have a major update today, and I just wrote a whole post about a book I didn’t even name? Well, yes, I suppose I am. But it’s my newsletter, so I can do these things.

I didn’t want to name the book above because I think that misses the point. The point is that it’s reading any book for fun that helps me sort through my own jumble of thoughts and see the forest for the trees, so to speak.

But, the book was also really, really good and I wholeheartedly recommend it for anyone who enjoys spicy romantic comedies. (Which is probably all of you, because you’re here.)

I absolutely loved Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon. It was hilarious, sexy, and also dealt with some deep issues in a really thoughtful way. Which, as you know, is kind of my jam. (TW for anxiety and OCD, though. Take care of yourselves out there and don’t read this if it’s not for you.) Definitely check it out if you’re in the mood for something lighthearted with a little bit of depth.

First, a few things to celebrate! The Write Choice surpassed 100,000 page reads in its first two weeks, and I am thrilled. It has also helped me to get past 3 million lifetime page reads over all of my books, and I could not be happier. Thank you, thank you, thank you for loving my books and reading them and recommending them.

The Write Choice is also now available in paperback wherever books are sold! This means you can order it from Barnes & Noble, your favorite indie bookstore, or even request that your library carry it! (That last one is particularly important, and I would love it if you all would do it.)

I will also be attending my very first convention in September! I’ll be at Romance Con in Milwaukee. Tickets go on sale February 14, and I hope to see you all there! Preorder information for my books will be coming soon.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the title of my next book!

Common Grounds—A sunshine coffee shop owner meets a grumpy lifestyle web journalist. After a one-night stand, she never expects to see him again… until she ends up writing a series of articles about his failing coffee shop in order to help drum up business, and hopefully boost her career in the process.

I absolutely cannot wait to share this book with you! (And finish drafting it!) Hopefully, this holds you over for a little while, but more information is coming soon!

And, yes, I did tease some of the colors of the cover in that photo. *wink*

And, with that, I bid you all adieu. I hope you have a great weekend, and that you make time to pick up a low-pressure book and read for fun. See you next week!

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