LaShea here: Your girl has been working hard this year to come back to life after stepping back from writing in 2022. For the last three years, I’ve been doing the minimum. Going to my day job, trying to cook more, trying to exercise more, all the while missing my mom (she died in June 2022), but trying to be there for everyone else. I forced myself to be present and tried really hard to find the joy in life again.
I’ve been gardening and taking a lot of walks…sometimes just in my own yard. I don’t like hills or sweating. I’m trying to overcome. I don’t mind sweating when it comes to gardening. I don’t mind getting sunburned and having a back ache if I can walk through the garden and see my plants thrive. Currently, my garden consists of some living and dying plants, a lot of traveling iris, Canna lilies, Rose of Sharon, fading hydrangeas, and dreams of making the garden into thriving sections of vegetables and flowers that I can enjoy.
Writing a novel is a little like gardening. You get excited about the new idea (new plant you bought); you sit down at your computer and start typing whatever you’ve plotted, or whatever comes to mind (you’re digging in the dirt after finding that perfect spot for the plant). Then you agonize over what you’ve written. Is it good enough? Will people like it? Will they buy my book? (Did I plant the plant in an area of too much sun? Not enough sun? Will it live or die? Will it come back next year?)
But speaking specifically about writing… I’m here today to share a really good book with you. I must admit, I’ve struggled with reading. Yes, struggled! It’s much easier to veg out in front of YouTube for hours, or scroll endlessly on my phone. Slowly, I’m picking up my favorite authors and reading a paragraph here and there. I’m optimistic that, like writing, the reading habit will fall back into place.
At first, I didn’t know if I’d like Jill’s book. I received an advanced reader’s copy but kept putting off reading it. Finally, I started reading, because I wanted to know how I could create a better writing life. Obviously, what I had been doing all of this time had not worked. Three years away from writing has felt like thirty. My 50th birthday came around in April (2025) and I found myself sick of being frustrated and unproductive.
I’m blessed that I read Jill’s book. Her approach is no-nonsense. So many times during the book, I heard my own voice. I’ve been writing on and off for almost 40 years. For the last few decades of my adult life, I’ve compared myself with others, I’ve procrastinated, been afraid of failure, afraid of success, I’ve been envious…I’ve tried traditional publishing and now I’m working on developing myself as an independent author.
Jill’s book is valuable for a new writer and for those like me who’ve slogged through the trenches for longer than I care to admit. If you would like to know more about the writing life, I recommend picking up Jill’s book. I’ve purchased my own copy on Amazon as this is one that deserves a spot in my office on the bookshelf. It’s a book I’ll refer to again and again when I need encouragement or a reminder that I’m not alone in this crazy, writing life! Friends, meet Jill Kemerer and Creating a Writing Life:
Encouragement and advice for authors and writers
Bestseller lists, fame, and financial rewards don’t comprise your writing life—they’re products of it. This book will help you figure out the day-to-day decisions to make to achieve your writing dreams. Where and when do you write best? What equipment do you need? How will you handle envy? Rejection? Long droughts between contracts?
Creating a Writing Life gives you the tools to manage every aspect of your career, including income expectations and how to handle success. Author Jill Kemerer has experienced all this and more in her writing career, and this book will launch you into yours. What are you waiting for? Let’s get started creating your writing life!
Publishers Weekly bestselling author of nearly one million books worldwide, Jill Kemerer shares writing tips, business advice, and encouragement for authors in this inspirational book for writers.
Author Bio:
Jill Kemerer is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of heartwarming, emotional, small-town romance novels often featuring cowboys. Nearly a million of her books have sold worldwide. Jill’s essentials include coffee, caramels, a stack of books and long walks outdoors. She resides in Ohio with her husband. They have two adult children. For more information, visit her website, jillkemerer.com.
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Interview with the author:
What inspired you to write this book?
My journey to publication was long and filled with potholes. I felt like I learned everything the hard way. I couldn’t find information about how to set up a small business as a self-employed writer, what income I could expect to make from my novels, the realities of slow times, and envying other writers. Many aspects of the writing life aren’t covered in books on the writing craft, so I decided to share what I’d learned in Creating a Writing Life.
What can readers expect from Creating a Writing Life?
I encourage writers to evaluate all aspects of their writing life–where and when they write best, existing equipment and what’s needed, if they’re a panster or plotter. I share about the emotional ups and downs–envy, discouragement, celebrating wins, and how to manage expectations. There’s an entire chapter devoted to financial matters, including author income, tracking expenses, and business options like sole proprietorships, LLCs and S corps. Since most writers struggle with time management (don’t we all?), I devoted several chapters on this subject. There’s also tips on creative habits, basic story elements, and the agent-author relationship.
How are you qualified to write this book?
As a multi-published, best-selling, award-winning author who has been published for over ten years, I’ve gained insights, mostly from talking to other authors, my own research, and hard-won experience. Additionally, nearly a million copies of my novels have been sold worldwide. I’m not a household name, but I’m a lifelong learner. A former electrical engineer, I was trained to think logically, ask a lot of questions, and find the optimal method for every process. I’m sure in ten years, I will have more insight, but I don’t believe in waiting to help people. Writers need this information now.
What do you hope readers take away from this book?
I hope anyone who reads this book ends up encouraged and excited about their writing life. There are so many subjects writers and authors just don’t talk about, and this book does. I go there. Ideally, you’ll feel like you’re sitting across from me at a coffee shop, having a conversation about the writing life.
Where can your book be purchased?
Creating a Writing Life is available in paperback and e-book through Amazon. It releases on September 3, 2025.
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/099781795X
E-book: https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Writing-Life-Encouragement-Creative-ebook/dp/B0FHJ18RL6/
Christy LaShea 