How I Honestly Spent My Release Day

On May 18th of this year, for the tenth time, a story of mine became available to read on Amazon!

Some of those publications are short stories. Most are novellas. Some aren’t available anymore. This one was my first full-length novel—a steamy contemporary romance called Defy the Stars, written under the brand-spankin’-new pen name Daphne Pond.

And this one feels really, really special because it’s a book I’ve been tinkering with for three years. The document that the story (not merely the prose, but also the worldbuilding, outline, character arcs, and so on) lived in on 4TheWords shows I’ve spent over 152 hours with my fingers on the keyboard, but in truth, many more hours than that were poured into this book. I captured the idea in a cheap notebook on the beach, a bolt from the blue after my first genuine, months-long case of writer’s block. I suspected a trip to see the ocean would restore my creative energy, and I was so happy to be right!

It’s very weird that it’s out in the world, to be honest. I was sitting cross-legged on a hotel bed fleshing out the story just last night, wasn’t I?

Anyway, because I have the memory of a goldfish, I thought I would celebrate this occasion by jotting down how I spent my release day in an incredibly self-indulgent effort to preserve the magic.

Big disclaimer for my fellow writers: this is not prescriptive. In fact, please don’t take this as advice on how to spend your release day. You should spend it how you like!

Okay? Okay.

So, come with me to spend a day in the life of an indie author launching her pen name’s debut!

Part One: A Late Start to the Day

I’m already feeling the need to underscore my disclaimer because I didn’t get all the marketing done in advance like I would’ve liked. And I also woke up far later than I would’ve wanted—around ten. That was to be expected, though, because going to bed on time is simply not a thing in our home. Logan likes to stay up all night with me like we’re having a sleepover, especially when he’s excited, and he was excited for me to publish again.

After Logan left for the morning, I made myself a very special meal: garlicky and buttery steak (air-fried) and “fried” (actually baked—I’m very lazy when it comes to making food) eggs with shredded cheese and bacon bits on top. I am carnivorous and anemic, so this—plus a clementine and my Café Bustelo sweetened with chocolate-chip-cookie-flavored coffee creamer—truly felt like the breakfast of champions. Certainly in the top five meals I’ve ever made for myself.

I also watched H2O: Just Add Water on YouTube while I ate because—between Stella’s love for The Little Mermaid in the book and the new writing prompt game I just released—it went with my May’s apparent mermaid theme.

(Is this too much detail? Oh, well!)

Part Two: Midday Marketing

Then came managing messages: congrats from groups chats, letting Discord groups I’m in know I’d published a book, and so on. I posted on my pen name’s Instagram, too. Eventually, I permitted myself a post on Threads. (We all know what happened to my pen name’s account…)

This was when I moved from our “main living area” into the office, and the real work began. I started with something I should’ve done ages ago, which was make a spreadsheet of Facebook groups I want to post in, divvied up into two categories: the groups that allow promo posts anytime, and the groups that have rules surrounding self-promoting. The latter, I will work my way through as the designated days approach. For the former, I write something up and cross-post to as many of the groups as possible.

… At least, that was the plan.

Before the cross-posting actually got done, I found myself painstakingly editing my release graphic for God-knows-how-long. This is by no means an unusual side quest for me to take without my own permission. Longtime readers will know that I am a Canva fiend, and it has a power to suck me in like nothing else does. As a result, though, I’ve made videos for Writer’s Atelier in the past about using it to make book trailers and vertical videos, and I’ve gotten to teach a few classes and workshops about using Canva as an author. I even design my own covers using Canva!

But that affinity is a double-edged sword, because I got so caught up in making the graphic that I didn’t even finish before Logan got home, so…

Part Three: Banana Bread Break

I clocked out to greet Logan and give him a big smooch. Also, I hadn’t eaten in six hours, so it was time to refuel and eat something. I also used the last of my fun coffee creamer, but I sweetened (ha!) the goodbye with chocolate syrup.

As I’ve alluded to before on this blog, I will bake when the mood strikes. I chose to make banana bread not so much to celebrate, but more because the brown spots on the bananas on our counter were demanding something be done. The recipe I use, in case you’re interested, is stupidly easy. It’s so foolproof, I don’t even use the vanilla extract it calls for. I did add in some mini chocolate chips this time, though. What did you expect? It’s my release day!

I finally managed to actually post to those Facebook groups while the banana bread was in the oven. That sense of a timer about to go off is great for motivation!

Part Four: Back at It

With the banana bread baked, I updated Daphne’s welcome sequence (another thing that probably should’ve been done last night. oh, well!) and monitored posts for comments. I’d just about depleted my energy reserves at this point of the day. Still, the day isn’t truly over until I get some writing in—specifically, working on Daphne’s next romance novel.

I’ll do a full blog post with an updated look at my writing routine soon. For now, I’ll tell you I’ve been loving playing these cute drink-themed Pomodoro videos while I write in 4TW to keep me on track. The monster-battling system is great, too, but the Pomodoros provide extra structure when I choose to take on a larger monster (read: reach for a higher word count in one sitting). In honor of the last of my chocolatey creamer plus the chocolate syrup, I chose the chocolate milkshake video for this writing session—an hour and forty-five minutes of fifteen-minute work sessions with five-minute breaks.

What do I do during the breaks? I always solve the mini Murdle (fifty-six seconds today!) and the Murdle (one minute and fifty seconds!). Beyond that, what I do for breaks changes, although it’s usually solving logic puzzles or quick little administrative tasks. On this particular day, I did some light stretching and exercises at my desk. I never move enough unless I’m spending a day in the city with Logan.

Part Five: Release Day’s Conclusion

I finished my writing session with 902 words written! Mind you, those aren’t all words I kept, since 4TW counts words you delete as well, but I am proud of them nonetheless. I had half a mind to keep going, but as you might guess, I got hungry again. Funny how that keeps happening.

Before I left the office for the day, I erased the white board where I’d feverishly written out my release schedule. A very bittersweet moment for me. It’s the first time it’s been blank in three months.

But, boy howdy, I do love a fresh start.

That night, Logan and I “cheers”-ed with our banana bread slices—slathered with peanut butter, of course—and then retired to play video games together while our cat curled up between us.

Final Thoughts

I am so, so, so goddamn lucky. I write books while living in a time when it’s never been easier to publish. My partner is supportive, as is my family and his family and our friends.

And when I’m not bringing my own ideas to life, I get to help other writers do the same thing by story coaching them or providing resources and writing prompt games as creative outlets.

I don’t know if you’re a writer or a reader who’s found this blog post, but thank you for being here, and for making it to the end. I genuinely hope you feel or find the same joy and fulfillment in your own life.

🫶🏻