Jiminy wilickers, it’s April 2020 (well, August as I send out my newsletter)! I feel like 2019 and the first half of 2020 went past in a horrendously fast blur and I’m grappling with all the goals I had made (and failed to get done). But never fear. We live to grow and learn and I’m back for a bigger (and hopefully better) 2020, even with Rona gripping the entire world.

I wanted to let my wonderful readers know why I seemingly disappeared off the face of the planet. Kapoofed into thin air. Vanished like a phantom. I promised many things to you, dear reader. New books. Newsletters. Freebies. I simply wasn’t able to deliver, and for that I am deeply sorry.

The reason I wasn’t able to do these things is because I was trying to manage my entire life being turned on its head. I, a romance author, was trying to deal with an impending divorce, all before my thirtieth birthday. As you can probably imagine, 2019 and the start of 2020 was a tumultuous time for me. In addition to my personal life shattering to the ground, I had to leave a job I loved. I started a new one. I dropped out of two law units, and then took a semester off my degree. I had to move out of my house and leave behind a place I called home. I had to adjust to a whole new life and make new roots with my dog. I made and lost friends. I was let down by people I thought I could trust. As a result of all of these life changes hitting me at once, I completely lost direction and fell into a pretty dark place. I stayed in this dark place, for a long, long time.

And to be honest, I felt like a total fraud. Writing love stories when my own had fallen apart was an embarrassing reality I had to face. Imposter syndrome gripped me. And then every writer’s fear became my reality. I got writer’s block. I couldn’t get one word out on the page. Nothing. Nada. That’s when I knew I needed some time and space to find my feet. So that’s what I did. I closed the lid of my laptop. I stopped forcing the words onto the page. I got out of the house and did some soul searching.

My search for meaning about why I’m here, on this earth, led me to Bali for a spiritual retreat. It sent me on many first (and last) dates with some weird, some nice and mildly entertaining people (good material for a book, right?) It forced me to thrust myself into social situations where I felt way out of my depth. I met people I wouldn’t trade for anything in this world. I reconnected with my mum and dad. This seemingly horrible experience forced me back home, into my heart, where I needed to be. Alone. With myself. What I learned was that despite the implosion of my marriage, there is a world out there, beyond the realms of what I ever imagined. It’s a world that exists outside of me and my bubble. And this my friends, is where I regained my passion. My love for writing. Inspiration is bursting at the seams, and I cannot contain it.

On the Authentic Feminine Retreat in Ubud, Bali (September 2019)

While things are still not completely settled, they’re getting there. I’m in a much better place now and am no longer hiding from who I am. I am better for this experience. Kinder. A more compassionate, understanding and mellow version of my former self. Somehow, I had lost sight of who I was and the purpose of my life on earth. I’m learning how to be at peace with myself. I’m learning how to be on my own and be okay with moving through life solo.

And while I’m working on a new project, this time it’s not a romance. It’s a thriller (cue creepy theme music). I’m excited to share more details in the coming months and I’m working towards completing the first draft by the end of the year (but no promises, because you know what they say about best laid plans). I’d still love you to stay tuned for more details, and will announce when exciting things come to fruition!

Until then, I’m working hard on getting The Birthday Romance Collection up on Amazon. The series incorporates my first three published works, Birthday Girl, Birthday Boy and Birthday Wish, into one book. The three books follow one love story, between Angie and Liam. It was a story I loved writing. One I hope you’ll love reading. In the meantime, you can still buy all three books separately at your favourite e-book retailer. Same cost. Same story. Three different books.

I also have plans to publish my romantic rural suspense, Rogue Bloodline, later this year.

Keep an eye out for my newsletter, hitting inboxes soon.

Until then, stay safe, stay healthy, stay real, and kick on 2020!

RR

P.S. Coronavirus is a jerk and I’m sending positive vibes to wherever you may be in the world.