First, I was invited to be a featured author at Kariana’s Lit Lounge in Birmingham, Alabama. That invitation didn’t come out of nowhere; it came from a genuine connection on TikTok. She saw my Love By Any Means series, showed love, and then shot her shot. That right there is a lesson: don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, and don’t be afraid to ask. Closed mouths don’t get fed, and closed hearts don’t get opportunities.
Here’s some footage if you missed it: Watch on TikTok.
We had an amazing time, not just in the city but at the event itself. It left me full in the best way. I truly enjoy meeting new people, but there’s something about meeting my readers face to face that hits different. Kariana’s Lit Lounge was exactly what the name says...LIT! It was such a blessing, because let’s be real: sometimes you can be in this author space and feel so unseen. That night reminded me that the work is reaching who it’s supposed to reach. I was grateful for the opportunity, and I even met a new author to support. Check out Erica Denise!
Second, CRASH… another baby was born through grief and life. Believe it or not, I doubted how well this release would be received. The story was getting long (as in writing), and I just knew I had done too much, but I couldn’t stop. I loved Sametra and Malik too much to cut them short. I also started over 3 times between the third and first person. I just was not feeling like I was getting it until I got it. These last few releases have been so personal for me.
The reflection of me in the book was real. I am the mother of a now 18-year-old son, dealing with more than he lets on, and writing CRASH pulled me into places of my own motherhood that I hadn’t fully unpacked. That’s the thing about my books...they’re not just romance, they’re real life woven into love stories. And sometimes, that means I have to push past my own doubts and trust that the story is bigger than my fear.
One word: obedience.
I had the most successful release of my career. That still blows my mind to type out. I’ve been doing this author thing long enough to know the highs and the lows, and baby, the lows can feel heavy. But this release? It was confirmation. It reminded me that if you don’t quit, if you keep refining your pen, your process, and your prayers, your harvest will come.
And here’s the part that really made me sit back: I had written most of these wins down in my journal back in July. At the time, I had just started reading Captivated by Danger by Endiya Carter. Diesel had Greysen journal, and I remembered how long it had been since I’d journaled myself (maybe months). I decided right then and there to journal every day for 30 days. I wanted to create a habit but also gauge my moods.
That obedience—to write it down, to be consistent, to speak plainly what I wanted...changed everything.
Excuse my handwriting lol
From 212+ orders to hitting #1 in Medical Romance, to securing an audiobook deal, to breaking into the Top 100… it all lined up. That wasn’t luck, that was clarity, faith, and obedience at work.
Not vague “maybe one day” wishes. I wrote specifics. I wrote it plain. And I told God exactly what I wanted to see. Then I kept showing up like it was already on the way. So when these things started happening, it wasn’t luck, it was alignment.
August wasn’t perfect, but it was purposeful. And if you’re reading this, I want you to know that your season of clarity is waiting on you. Don’t shrink. Don’t play small. Don’t let the fear of how others may react stop you from naming and claiming what you want.
Here’s something else August taught me: don’t let constant “why me, why not me” questions block your blessings. Thank you, Mel Dau, for the lesson.
It’s easy to fall into that trap—wondering why someone else got the deal, the numbers, the spotlight, and you didn’t. A lot of us slip into “watching other people’s papers,” figuratively and literally, trying to decode an industry that doesn’t even run on the same rules or rubrics we’re used to—whether that’s corporate or academia. But here’s the truth: their journey is theirs. Their favor is theirs. You can’t study or strategize your way into what belongs to somebody else.
All that energy you spend questioning could be poured back into doing what God told you to do. That’s how you unlock what He’s already lined up for you—not by dissecting someone else’s lane, but by walking boldly in your own.
I’m stepping into September with bigger goals, bigger faith, and the same journal wide open, ready for more.
So here’s my challenge to you: grab a notebook, write it down, and stop being afraid to be specific about what you want. You’ll be surprised what shifts when you stop whispering your dreams and start speaking and writing them like you believe they’re already yours.
With love,
C. Monet
Read CRASH