Filed under: Author Journey, Book Launch, Better Late Than Never 

Four years ago today, on August 13, 2021, I did something that terrified me more than any alien abduction scenario I'd ever imagined. I hit "publish" on Literotica.

"Dark Side of the Moon Pt. 01" went live with a prologue and four short chapters that would eventually become the first five chapters of Abducted Love. I was that person refreshing the page every twelve seconds, watching for comments like a teenager waiting for their crush to text back.

Part 2 followed on August 20, Part 3 dropped September 1, and then...

crickets

Nothing. Nada. Radio silence from yours truly.

The Great Drought of 2021-2024

Here's the thing about writer's block: it's like being constipated, but for your brain. You KNOW what needs to come out. You can feel it there, fully formed and ready. But somehow between your mind and your fingers, everything just...stops.

I knew where Jessie's story was going. Hell, I had the entire alien breeding program mapped out on index cards taped to my wall (my cats found this fascinating). But could I get the words on paper? No. :(

The really twisted part? People actually LIKED what I'd written:

• Part 1: 4.45 stars
• Part 2: 4.34 stars
• Part 3: 4.59 stars and that coveted "Hot" certification

You'd think that would motivate me. Instead, I spent three years staring at a blank document titled "Part 4" while my protagonist sat in alien limbo, probably tapping her foot and checking her space watch. Things were still working in my subconscious but, not percolating up to the frontal lobe.

The Dam Breaks

Recently, something shifted. Maybe it was turning 50 and realizing I'd rather regret what I did than what I didn't do. Maybe it was my cat Scully giving me judgmental looks every time I opened Netflix instead of Word. Maybe it was just time.

The words came back. Not a trickle, but a flood. Suddenly I wasn't just finishing the story, I was EXPANDING it. New prologue (less steamy, more world-building for my sci-fi nerds). Enhanced character development. A tentacle plant.

From Free Internet Smut to Actual Book

Here's where I probably should have stayed in my lane. But no, introvert decided to go full indie author. Why? Because I have IDEAS:

• A fantasy romance involving a were-squatch (yes, really)
• A RomCom about dating disasters with paranormal creatures
• A Hallmark Christmas Movie tribute set in the omegaverse
• At least seventeen other plots my houseplants have been whispering to me at 3 AM

If I wanted to write all these stories, I needed to introduce myself to readers beyond Literotica's hallowed halls. Time to put on my big girl author pants and join the indie publishing world.

What's Next?

Y'all, I'm working with someone to produce the audiobook!

Mid-September release is the goal, and I'll have a bunch of FREE audiobook codes to give away in exchange for honest reviews. (How I'm distributing them is TBD because I'm still googling "how to audiobook promotion without looking desperate.")

The Lesson?

Sometimes stories need to marinate. Your characters need to sit in their rooms and think about what they've done. Some people need three years to figure out the exact right way to describe alien tentacle plant anatomy without giggling.

To everyone who read those first three parts and wondered what happened: I'm sorry for the cliff-hanger blue balls. But I promise, the wait was worth it.  Abducted Love drops September 1, 2025. From free internet erotica to actual book baby. Who says procrastination doesn't pay off?

Eventually.