Dear Fellow Wayfinder,
December has been chaotic—and also really, really fun.
My husband and I kicked off the month by escaping to Key West for a long weekend, and I’m officially obsessed. I’d never been before, and the place has legit vibes. Warm air, salty water, pastel houses, and a creative energy I didn’t expect but immediately loved.
I wandered through Hemingway’s house and writing studio (and met the cats), popped into Judy Blume’s bookstore to grab a signed copy of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret for my girls, and stood in the spot where Tennessee Williams loved to swim—and famously said, “I work everywhere, but I work best here.” I see a writer’s retreat in my future, and we’re already scheming.
Add in beach walks, the annual Christmas bike parade, and the rare luxury of being fully present with my husband before the holiday whirlwind hit—and it was perfection.
And then… the whirlwind arrived.
Nighttime parties. Class parties. Performances. Gift exchanges. I can barely breathe.
One of the highlights was a tradition that means a lot to us: a neighborhood toy drive that culminates at our local Cheers equivalent, Sweet Agave. Neighbors and officers line up together, passing toys hand to hand as the trucks are loaded—each one headed to families served by the DC Metro Police Department’s Latino Division. It’s loud, joyful, and grounding in the best way.
Then, because December has zero chill, we pivoted straight into fun: Jingle Ball with the girls, where we saw Jelly Roll, Alex Warren, Myles Smith, and more. We even got a bit of snow and squeezed in some sledding. Not much accumulation, but the girls swear the hill was fast.
📽️ Watch my reel covering the last month for a little snapshot of it all.
Here’s the honest update.
I’ve now heard back from 5 of the 10 agents I queried. All five passed—“not the right fit at this time.”
And weirdly? This is still a win.
Rejection is part of the process—and I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
The tricky part: the feedback so far hasn’t been especially actionable, which means I don’t yet have clear direction on whether to tweak my query package before sending the next batch.
So for now, I’m waiting. Likely another month, especially with the holidays. If the remaining agents don’t surface interest or useful feedback, I’ll plan to send out another batch of 10 in February.
In the meantime, I did get something big back:
My story coach returned her edits on Book 1 (pages 50–350). I’ll be absorbing those over the holidays, then we’ll do a brainstorm early in the new year. After that, I’ll be attacking revisions with vigor—so I can submit the full manuscript and a series proposal to the publisher who’s asked to see them.
Plenty to do. Plenty of momentum.
Free Books!
💘 Swoony Small Town Romance
Big love. Small towns. Second chances and secrets that feel like coming home.
📅 Dec 15, 2025 – Jan 15, 2026
🔗 https://books.bookfunnel.com/swoony-small-town-romance/1j1kmx38c7
💖 Free Romance of All Genres (Contemporary-focused)
Looking for your next favorite romance? These authors have teamed up to offer a delightful collection.
📅 Dec 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2026
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My steamiest short story, Frenching My Flatmate, is available for free when you take the Romance Writers of America State of Romance Reader Research survey.
This story hasn’t been available for a while—and probably won’t be again anytime soon.
It’s December-only, and the survey truly takes about 6 minutes (I timed it).
You take the survey → you get the book → you help shape the future of romance.
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🔥 Paris. Forced proximity. Control completely optional.
When December ends, this access does too.
Lake Hartwell Animal Safari — absolute chaos in the best way. Drive-through animals, feeding bison and ostriches, and laughing the entire time.
🔗 https://www.lakehartwellsafari.com/
Books & Books, Key West — Judy Blume’s bookstore. The booksellers were lovely, and we left with bags full.
🔗 https://booksandbookskw.com/
Sweet Agave (DC) — our neighborhood gem and the heart of our toy drive tradition.
🔗 https://www.sweetagavedc.com/
Fahlo Animal Tracking Bracelets — the girls and I love following our animals around the world, learning their names and stories, and watching their journeys unfold. Each bracelet supports wildlife conservation through nonprofit partnerships.
🔗 https://myfahlo.com
Lacoste Women’s Piqué Sweatpants — my winter tennis MVP. Zip ankles = no shoe removal. Warm, flattering, excellent fabric.
🔗 https://www.lacoste.com/us/lacoste/women/clothing/pants-leggings/XF5244-51.html?color=HDE
Huxley and Sasha are in their element this month—pictured here with our part-time nanny (the girls insist she’s their “eldest sister”) and her boyfriend, who’s visiting from Australia.
It’s a mutual obsession.
And yes—Huxley is literally grinning.
Photo included below. Prepare your heart.
As we head into the new year, I’ve already chosen my Word of the Year for 2026.
Prolific had its season—and it did its job.
I’ll share the new word in January.
Wishing you a magical holiday season filled with love, rest, and moments that matter. Thank you for being here—for reading, supporting, and sharing this space with me.
Until 2026!
