Page 78 of The Nicest Thing
I nodded."Good name.Can I use that in one of my books?"
Her cheeks went pink, but she nodded."Sure."
"Thanks!What did you want to ask?"
"Um, I just wondered if you experience any backlash.For writing romance," she clarified.
I tilted my head from side to side."Sometimes, but that's usually from people who've never even read my books."
"Because of the stigma attached to the genre."
"That's right," I said with a sigh."But it's also because I'm indie."
Ana frowned."Why would that matter?A good book is a good book."
"You'd think."
"Isn't that how it is?"
"Not always.When you decide to indie publish, some readers will automatically think your work is less than.You're not a real writer in their eyes."
Lola raised her hand again."What does indie mean exactly?"
"It means," Ana said before I could answer, "instead of waiting for some traditional publisher to validate her writing, she published the book herself."
"Badass," Lola said.
"Rose is a badass, a total boss.She didn't need permission.She took control of her destiny, believed in her work, and put her stories out there."
I stared at my cousin as she grinned.
"It's one of the many reasons I'm proud of her," Ana finished.
My eyes were watery, but I wouldn't let the tears fall.Ana had called me a badass.She was proud of me.I had to live up to that.Still…
"I love you so much," I said to which she rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, how do you deal with writer's block?I can't get past the scene I'm writing, and I desperately need help."
I shrugged."Cry in corner, sit back down in front of the computer, and push past it."
The teens wrote down my words which astonished me.
Lola tilted her head."Mrs. Reid said you write sports romance.Any soccer in there?"
"Actually, yeah," I said."I love soccer—though I haven't written one with a female soccer MC yet."
"You totally should," she said.
"Maybe I will."
"What about murder mystery or dark romance?" Hazel asked.
I lifted a brow."Not really my genres."As her face fell, I said, "But I know several authors write them and are really successful.Also, I've read a few mafia romances that I surprisingly loved."
She sent me a nod."Mafia romance is superior."
"Yeah," Freya said, "but historical will always be my fave."
