When I first started writing Dear Dotty, I wanted to capture the essence of technically being a grown-up with a Real Job and adult responsibilities, but constantly feeling like you’re falling behind or doing it all wrong. I describe it as the phase of life when everyone around you is getting promoted and buying furniture that doesn’t require assembly while you find yourself eating a pickle and two slices of American cheese for dinner because you don’t get paid until next week.

Figuring out what to do with your life is daunting and confusing – no matter how old you are. But, with the benefit of hindsight (I’m in my late thirties now), I know two things that I didn’t back then. The first is that no one really knows what they’re doing and the second is that you don’t have to live your life the same way everyone else does. That’s where Dotty comes in. She’s lived such a happy, authentic life all while eschewing the markers of success (marriage, lucrative career, motherhood) that were expected of her.

I loved the idea of my younger self having someone like Dotty to turn to. I never did, so I decided to dream her up myself. She’s who I want to be like when I grow up.

Of course I was a mess in my twenties! I was living in an apartment I couldn’t afford, taking out advances from my credit card to make rent, struggling to find the perfect business casual outfit (invariably some combination of day-to-night-friendly pencil skirts, peep toe heels, and statement necklaces – don’t judge me it was the early 2010s), and wondering why I was the only one in my friend group who hadn’t been promoted yet (I was especially envious of my friends in PR whose companies gave them Blackberry phones).

But I was also much more of a romantic than Rosie. I really, really wanted to find a partner and get married someday. I met my future husband at a bar weeks before my twenty-third birthday, and we moved in together a few months later. We’ve been together for fifteen years now, so it all worked out for me, but I love that Rosie isn’t fixated on settling down, getting married, or having kids.

At that age, Rosie and I both had a lot to learn about what it meant to be a good friend, how to prioritize showing up for people when it really counts, and that it’s okay to be a little different. I was also probably a touch too snarky and a little bit of a brat, just like Rosie.

I’ve wanted to write a book since I was a kid (I boldly declared becoming a writer to be a future goal in my fifth-grade yearbook) but it took me decades to act on it. Instead, I studied Social Science in college and built a career as a recruiter and HR Manager. Eventually, I started a resume writing business which led to a career advice column and a handful of ghostwriting opportunities. After toying around with a couple of book ideas in my free time (none of which made it past the first couple of chapters), I decided that I wanted to pursue novel writing for real. So, I applied to the Stanford Continuing Studies Novel Writing Program and that’s where Dear Dotty was born.

I guess I’ve always known I would write a book someday, but it took me years to get serious about it. That’s probably because the whole concept felt impossibly abstract, especially since I didn’t know any other authors until I started my writing program.

It took me three years and probably twelve different drafts before my novel was ready to submit to agents. The most drastic changes happened between my first and second draft – it was a complete overhaul. I had no idea what I was doing with the first draft, but thanks to several workshops, generous feedback from teachers, and reading a ton of craft books (I found Save the Cat! Writes a Novel to be especially helpful), I eventually found my way to a readable version.

Writing a book turned out to be a much harder, slower, process than I ever could have anticipated, but I also found it to be wholly worthwhile. If I could go back in time and talk to the version of myself who was just starting to draft Dear Dotty, I would tell her to get comfortable with feedback (it’s an essential, invaluable gift), to be patient, to enjoy the magic of the process (creating a whole world from your imagination is so much fun), and to make friends with other writers. They’re the best.

I won the lottery when I signed with Rachel Beck at Liza Dawson Associates. I owe her so much and I feel really lucky to have her as my agent.

The short answer is, I got a ton of feedback on my manuscript from freelance editors, fellow writers and beta readers, I workshopped my query letter, and I did a ton of agent research on QueryTracker, Manuscript Wishlist, and the NY Book Editors Literary Agent Alert, which helped me to query agents that I truly believed could be a good fit for my novel. It took ten months before I signed with Rachel and I got a lot of no’s along the way. Everybody does.

If you want to read the story of how I signed with Rachel, you can head over to my blog for all the details!

I worked as an agency recruiter and then an HR Manager in Silicon Valley (which won’t come as any surprise when you read Rosie’s work scenes) before starting a resume writing business called The Job Hop. That led to my very own career advice column on The Muse!

Things got a little whacky from there. Once I was enrolled in my writing program, I took a few different contract jobs that gave me more flexibility to write. I worked for a real estate agent and as a personal assistant to an animal rights activist. I also did lots of ghostwriting, career coaching, and even tried my hand at being a virtual personal stylist.

These days, I’m writing full-time and loving it. My second book will be out in the summer of 2025.

I love this question! After you finish reading Dear Dotty 😉 you should check out some of my favorite books and authors (in no particular order). This is not even close to an exhaustive list!

Big Gay Wedding by Byron Lane

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Less by Andrew Sean Greer

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann (especially if you love modern-day retellings of Greek mythology. And who doesn’t?!)

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

Soy Sauce for Beginners by Kristin Chen

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume (and everything else by Judy Blume)

The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

The Do-Over by Suzanne Park

The Mothers by Britt Bennet (Also the Vanishing Half – so good)

The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany by Lori Nelson Spielman

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

The Witches of Moonshine Manor by Bianca Marias

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? By Lizzie Damiola Blackburn

(Did I miss any good ones? I’m sure I did. Let me know!)