On Serialising Fiction

AKA, Love You Too, Esty Mackie is coming to Substack

An early post this week because it’s my birthdaaaayy (I’ma do what I like, I’ma eat what I like, I’ma kiss who I like) (my husband).

And aside from drinking Moët at lunchtime, and putting a hammock together (and then bringing in the fabric because this is England and it rained), I’ve decided to serialise the book I wrote in 2022/23, right here, on Substack, for free.

I’ll share the opening three chapters first, and the rest will follow, weekly.

Why am I doing this?

Wellll, honestly, it died in the query trenches, and all I ever really want is for people to read my work, you know? It’s really hard out there, guys. Agents are inundated. Small presses are inundated, and publishing is glacial at the best of times. It’s just how it is at the moment, and whilst I could get into how shit the ghosting feels and how that isn’t an acceptable bar in other industries, I also know there are only so many hours in the day, and I could sit and whinge, or I could do something productive and positive.

But, Steph, what do you get out of it?

Readers, mainly (hopefully). And if you like it, tell me and/or your pals, and if you don’t, that’s fine too, but feel free to keep that to yourself 😉

Okay, that’s nice. And what do I get out of it?

A romance novel about the intensity of first love, the sacrifices we make in the pursuit of our dreams, and the bravery it takes to change our fortunes and be true to ourselves.

It’s cute, actually. Bit angsty. Set in my home town of Southampton, so, if you are too, maybe you’ll recognise bits. If you’re not, well, welcome. Let me entice you with the blurb:

Ash and Esty fell in love at sixteen, but broke up when his band, Grandeur Looms, were signed. Heartbroken, Esty couldn’t bear to watch from the sidelines as his dream came true without her.

Years later, Ash’s life is spiralling, while Esty’s boyfriend has just suggested they settle down. She knows she should be excited but something is holding her back, and she suspects it has something to do with the unyielding life plan he rigidly adheres to.

When a chance encounter leads to a reunion that neither Ash nor Esty ever anticipated, they’re forced to navigate their reemerging connection and long buried feelings. But when secrets and truths from their past are revealed, and Ash’s fame catches up with them, they must make choices that shape their future.

Maybe one day I’ll switch on paid subs and do some BTS stuff. Playlists, character inspos, settings and research. But for now, it’s Ash and Esty, weekly and gratis, in your inbox.

If you’re reading this because I’ve shared it on IG or Twitter, and you’d like to sign up so these chapters arrive in your inbox, you can do that by this clicking this button:

And if you’re reading this and want to share the post, because you know someone who might like it, you can do that, too:

In the mean time, on to Chapter 1