I took a break from my blog this summer. Unlike Donald Trump’s campaign, it wasn’t a “shake-up,” although I did want to think more about what my blog should be. I’d like to give more glimpses into what it’s like to be a writer, and to take you along as I go on this crazy journey.

As some of you may already know, I’m in the book-launching stage with my third and latest novel, Southern Girl. This is a scary stage to be in for any writer, no matter what they say.

Right now I’m feeling a mixture of excitement coupled with a healthy dose of fear. Glancing through old files, my never-satisfied voice yells, “You could’ve said that so much better!” I’m the type of writer who could edit a book right up until the eleventh hour, because I have a hard time taking the advice of that girl in Frozen: “Let it go. . . let it go. . .”

The editing process is the toughest part of writing a book. It feels like going to the eye doctor: “Is it better THIS way, or THIS way?” You could drive yourself to a padded cell if you don’t eventually let it go.

Back to the fear. Now that Southern Girl is officially out, this August is the month where everything gets really quiet. You don’t know who’s reading or reviewing your work, how it will be received, and you tell yourself you can’t worry about how it will be received. Even though you do.

Asking any reader to spend her time with your story, your characters, to make an emotional investment—it’s a lot to ask. When they do connect with your work, it’s an honor, very humbling and flattering, to say the least. And it’s a feeling unlike any other I’ve ever experienced.

With Southern Girl, there’s a personal piece to this story that makes it especially important to me. I’d spent some time volunteering with a non-profit organization back in the ‘90s, dedicated to providing a safe place for LGBT and questioning teens to come and talk about their feelings, concerns, etc. The NUMBER ONE issue that came up was how to reconcile their religion with their true identity.  Their religion was THE barrier to embracing their happiness. For many teens today, it still is. Southern Girl is for all of them.

I expect the book to be controversial for this reason. I expect it to be provocative. Any book that stares down religion in this way is taking a risk. And I’m okay with that. I wanted to take a frank look at how religion can turn something as beautiful as first love into a nightmare. I also wanted to bring humor, compassion and honest observations into this world that the characters have to make their way through. All I can do is hope I succeeded.

It boils down to this: You have to write the best story you can and then put it out there. Then breathe. Then get to work on the next project.

Now, I’m actually very busy dreaming up more twists and turns for Robin and Adrienne in Eye of the Storm, the sequel to Hurricane Days coming out next spring. For those die-hard fans of Hurricane Days, I promise I’ll keep you posted! And for those of you who love a good forbidden romance. . . it doesn’t get any more forbidden than Southern Girl. I hope you enjoy it.