it's been Monday for a month now

updates + deadlines + proof of life

Haaaaappy Monday, everyone!

Oh, it’s not Monday? Huh, weird. It feels like it’s been Monday since at least January 20th, and I can’t figure out why… (/sarcasm).

But in the flurry of Mondays that have come to pass, time marches ever on and with that comes…

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Updates!

Barnes and Noble Exclusive Edition of Sounds Like Love

And it’s blue! While it doesn’t have a secret chapter in the back, it does have an extra essay that I am incredibly proud of, a curated playlist for your listening enjoyment, and a fun little madlib that you definitely totally can’t use fuck for every single prompt that I hope y’all will get a kick out of!

Remember: with great power comes great responsibility.

Indie Romance Bestseller List!

Somehow, The Seven Year Slip just keeps on keeping on, and I am eternally grateful to everyone who keeps sharing our collective trauma for lemon pies. You’re the real ones.

The Dead Romantics included in Screenrant’s 15 Best Romances to Read on Valentine’s Day

Ghooooost bonersssss.~

Where to find me at Love Y’all Book Fest in Atlanta, Georgia

HOWEVER if you see me out in the wild standing in Amalie Howard’s line to get The Starlight Heir signed, no you don’t.

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Deadlines!

As always, it feels like I’m on perpetual deadline (and if you’ve seen me over on Instagram, I’ve been sort of playing it up because — you know — why not?), but the one I’m on right now is pretty secretive (and I’m not sure when I’ll be able to talk about it! This year? Next year? Who knows!).

The thing is, I’m enjoying this deadline. I love these characters very much, and I’m so excited to play in this sandbox that isn’t mine for a little while longer.

On top of drafting a new novel, I’m also working on pass pages for Sounds Like Love! This is the part where I get to see what this novel will look like in its final form, and try to catch as many missed typos or discrepancies as possible. (Spoiler: I never catch them all.) But can you blame me for getting a little distracted? I mean…

She’s a beaut!!

Every time I open the PDF file, I find myself falling deeper and deeper in love with these characters all over again. Over on Instagram, the readers in my “Angst-Ridden Backstory” community channel got to choose two page numbers where I picked random excerpts and gave them a sneak peak, so if you wanna get in on that, join the fun!

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Proof of Life!

It really does feel like every day is a Monday. An eternal back room where the back room is just… Monday, and a new horror crawls out of the woodwork every hour. Or, in my case, out of my home bathroom renovation where we found incredibly old termite damage in which we had to take out my dining room wall. It was a lot, friends.

February itself has been a lot.

(Here is where I am going to plug 5Calls.org, a website that makes it very easy for citizens of the US to call their representatives about issues they are passionate about—and passionate about saving. Like the Department of Education. You know, normal things.)

But! There has been a lot of things that I’ve loved, too. In this unprecidented time of Eternal Mondays, I tend to seek solace in new and unexpected things. (Or, sometimes, old and expected things that bring me new comfort.)

I’m planning on writing a post every quarter highlighting my favorite books, so right now I’ll concentrate on non-book things I’ve enjoyed!

These are in no particular order—

• Zenshu (anime TV series)

• The newest season of Castlevania: Nocturne (animated TV series)

• Ace Attorney (video game) (this is Tara Sim’s fault)

• Behind the Bastard’s Oprah Six Part series (podcast)

• “Virginia” by Boys Go To Jupiter (music)

• Defunctland’s deep dive into Disney Animatronics

• The Pitt (HBO Max’s new medical TV show)

• The soft earthy colors on the rise in 2025

I’m sure there are more that I’m missing, but I’ll think of them eventually! What have been some of your favorite things that have gotten you through all the Mondays?

xoxo,
Ash