Hey,
I know. It’s been a minute.
More than a minute, honestly. And if you’re still here, reading this? Thank you. I owe you some answers.
Where the hell have I been?
About two years ago, I made the hardest choice of my life. My marriage wasn’t working. I don’t want to go into all the details, but we did what we could, and in the end, we decided we’re two friends on wildly different paths. He’s still my friend and my roommate until the boys are old enough to move out.
I lost my will to love.
I tried so hard. I pushed through it, but in 2022, I was hurting. And I lost the woman I had begun to love. That showed in my work. I thought maybe it was the genre. It wasn’t.
How could I write about love if I’d never felt it?
Well, a few years of therapy later, and I’m working through that question.
Here’s the thing about separation:
It shows you who’s actually in your corner and who never fucking was. People who want to be your friend but are really only there to look into your life.
I’m applying the same mindset I did with returning to the romance world. I’m here for you, and in my life, I’m just showing up for the people who give a fuck.
That number is something I can count on one hand.
The ex is dating-not-dating now. And I hope it works out for him. We separated unofficially two years ago. It’s not too soon, and it’s really okay.
My Aries energy is just a little jealous.
(Also, happy birthday to me. Last week. But even so.)
Are you okay?
Depends on the day.
I’m still healing. Not a broken heart, but the illusion of a love story I may never be the heroine in.
Yeah, turns out I’m a hopeless fucking romantic.
Ugh. And maybe it’s because I write romance, I don’t fucking know. But I really just want me a guy that… that is possessive, obsessive, touch-her-and-die energy.
It probably won’t change either.
But you aren’t here for my dating energy. You’re here for the books.
Good news, celibacy means everything I’ve been plotting right now has more spice than I’ve ever written in my entire fucking life.
I’m totally fine. Most days.
Is the Ashes to Ashes duet still happening? When is Dust to Dust coming?
Yes. It’s happening.
Dust to Dust is the first book I’ll finish after the separation, and tbh I’m sorry, guys. I did my very best to clean up Ashes, but I can tell it’s missing that Elle signature. I can feel it in Dust to Dust. And I’m stoked for the ending.
I don’t know if you know this, but each of my characters holds a wound that I own. Writing it out in my characters helps me work through the wound. In Dust to Dust and Ashes, her wound was feeling loved.
Yeah, I know. I cried over it too.
I had to come face to face with how badly I neglected my family while in a shitty fucking situation. But honestly, the forgiving is in realizing I shouldn’t apologize for surviving.
The Ashes to Ashes paperback drops April 21st—which is now officially my release date for everything. I have a schedule now. You can find it on my website.
I’m almost done with Dust to Dust. No lie, I can’t believe I’m past the midpoint. It’ll be done in May. Well, I hope, because it’s off to my new editor, who showed up in my life at the perfect time. I’m so thankful for her.
Dust to Dust releases June 21st at the latest. I might do a sneak-attack release, so if you follow me on Amazon, make sure you do—they’ll send the email out first.
Are you still writing why-choose/reverse harem, or did you pivot again?
Why-choose. Always.
But we need to talk about the genre.
I love paranormal romance, but coming back to it, I need to do it on different terms. The goal is different, and when you read Hidden, you’ll get it.
More grounded in the paranormal. I want you—the reader—to feel like it could happen to you. More contemporary. More real. More “OMG, is that a vampire down the street?”
Think modern Anne Rice. That’s the vibe.
What’s next after Dust to Dust?
The Sanguine Agreement. The first duet I’ll finish after the separation.
I dropped some spoilers in my FB group. And no, I’m not putting them here.
Hidden (Book One of The Sanguine Agreement) will be out June 21st.
I think I finally have all of the paperbacks up on the Shopify store. I know I need to do more TikToks to sell more books and hop in with the hustle bandwagon.
But guys, I’m still healing.
What happened with Dandelions? Is that dead?
My life is a mess, and I can’t write what isn’t paying. It’s that simple.
How often are you going to email?
Once a month. That’s the plan.
Can I say how incredibly over social media I am? But anyway, here’s to hoping the newsletter doesn’t turn to shit because I’m flaky and I just want you to love me.
Can I trust you’ll stick around this time?
Here’s the thing: the problem wasn’t that I didn’t want to write. The problem was me being in a shitty place in life and not being consistent with Elle.
Now I’m just going to write slower and publish four times a year, max. And roll with it.
I really don’t want a full-time job. Not gonna lie, I have way too many autoimmune diseases to do that. But I’ll always be writing.
And I won’t make promises anymore. I’m just going to show up and let you answer that question when other readers ask.
It’s been a weird walk. I honestly can’t believe I’m still around some days, and let’s be real, the chaos demon is alive inside me.
But I’m here. And I’m just going to… write a few more books.
Thanks for sticking around.
Okay, that’s all. Love you.
Elle
