I wrote the first draft of The Vice in December of 2019. It took 3 weeks, 1 full of week of vacation and an ignored family and household. But I did it, I wrote the whole book.
And then, I began the read through. And at the time, I knew nothing of the book industry and that it was expected that you have multiple drafts before editing. What I figured was, I would keep rereading and rewriting until I made zero changes to my book.
When I tell you that I hated my book by the time the end of February came around, trust me on that, because I did. So, I did another thing that I later found out is recommended, I stepped away. And when I did, I began working on the second book in the series.
And once I finished that (first draft one month later), I went back to The Vice. After another round of fixes, I decided it was where I wanted it to be. And so I readied it to be independently published.
While I began to study and learn the ins and outs of indie publishing, I continued to work on the series. I continued with the same process I had done with The Vice, with the other books as well.
In February 2024, I missed my characters, having been away from their story and series for a couple of years. So when I picked up The Vice to begin another read through (as a reader and not as a writer) I discovered that I had learned a lot about writing mechanics—and honestly about life—since publication.
And because of that, I found myself staring at a world and people that I felt wouldn't get to tell their stories because my writing wasn't were it needed to be when the first editions came out.
Now, I've seen almost everywhere a writer can that they say NOT to go back. Always move forward. And while I have many begun stories that I am chomping at the bit to return to, I'm not ready to leave my series in a "good enough" state.
The story and characters are extremely important to me. It was incredibly cathartic to write Harper's story and share my headspace with her. It's why there's a lot of me in those pages. We made different decisions, but to our core we are the same. And where I see growth in my life, I see growth in hers.
I hope that if you have read the first edition to The Vice, that you'll give the second edition a read. Whether you loved, hated or were indifferent to the first version, I think it's worth another go (same going for the rest of the series).
As always, please be aware of the content warnings that come with each book, and only read if you are in a good head space to consume such material. These books are meant to help feel seen, to learn, and to enjoy—no book is worth your mental health.
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