Hour 11 of the Write for Money and Power 12-Hour Book Launch Livestream felt especially meaningful — the kind of conversation that reminds you why books still matter, and why putting a story into the world is an act of courage no matter how prepared you think you are.
I was joined by Alexandra Klein, a debut romance author whose novel August Recess also came out today. It’s a political romance with a literary twist, and I was lucky enough to serve as a developmental editor on this book — which meant I got a front-row seat to Alexandra’s creative process as the story took shape.
This hour was about debuting bravely, writing complex women, and trusting that readers are ready for more nuance than we sometimes give them credit for.
Here are a few ideas from Hour 11 worth sitting with:
Creative Power as a First-Time Author
Alexandra spoke beautifully about what creative power feels like as a debut author — not in abstract terms, but in the very real experience of watching something you created resonate with people you’ve never met.
Seeing readers respond differently to the same character.
Watching conversations spark about womanhood, ambition, marriage, and reinvention.
That moment — when the work leaves your hands and starts living its own life — is both thrilling and disorienting. And it’s one of the most powerful milestones in a writer’s life.
Writing a Main Character Who Isn’t “Perfect”
One of the most compelling aspects of August Recess is its protagonist. Alexandra made a deliberate choice to write a main character she wouldn’t necessarily be friends with in real life — someone flawed, complicated, and deeply human.
That decision opened the door to empathy. Readers didn’t all agree on the character, and that was the point. Some related instantly. Others needed time. But the character invited conversation rather than approval, which is rare — and brave — in romance.
Reinvention in Midlife Is a Universal Story
A central theme of the book — and the conversation — was reinvention in midlife. Professionally, romantically, emotionally.
Is it too late to change course?
Stories that answer that question with hope resonate for a reason.
Setting as a Living Character
Washington, D.C. isn’t just a backdrop in August Recess — it’s a presence.
Alexandra described how living in D.C. for nearly two decades allowed her to capture the city’s contradictions: ambition and intimacy, history and reinvention, power and vulnerability. From summer humidity to candlelit monuments, the setting mirrors the emotional landscape of the characters themselves.
Even readers who’ve never been to D.C. can feel it — and those who have recognize it immediately.
Career, Desire, and Identity Can Coexist
One of the most thoughtful threads of the hour explored how August Recess weaves together romance and professional identity. The protagonist’s return to her interior design career unfolds alongside her romantic journey, not separately from it.
Alexandra spoke about how many women juggle careers, caregiving, ambition, and desire — often at the expense of themselves. The novel doesn’t offer easy answers, but it does make space for that tension, which is what makes it feel honest.
Editing as an Act of Letting Go
As a debut author, Alexandra shared that drafting came most naturally — and that the deeper work revealed itself later.
Developmental edits.
Line edits.
Proofreading.
Each stage required a different kind of surrender. Learning to cut what you love. Trusting other eyes. Accepting that a book is never truly finished — it’s simply due.
That willingness to collaborate is part of what made this book as strong as it is.
Romance Readers Are Ready for Depth
One of the most exciting parts of the conversation was Alexandra’s willingness to take creative risks within the romance genre.
August Recess embraces romance tropes while also leaning literary — allowing the characters to grow in ways that don’t always follow the safest path. Reader responses have reflected that range, and Alexandra welcomed it.
Depth invites discussion.
Nuance invites loyalty.
And readers notice when you trust them.
If you love romance with complexity, ambition, and emotional honesty, you’ll want to immerse yourself in Alexandra’s world below and order your copy of August Recess.
And if Hour 11 reminded you why telling stories — especially first stories — matters, that belief runs through every chapter of my book:
The ebook is $0.99 because access matters and new voices deserve room to be heard.
Thank you Mary Beth Kaplan🪶, Nilambari Shirodkar, Diana Specht, Amy Benavides, Elizabeth Norvell, and many others for tuning into my live video with Alexandra Klein!
-Amy
