If some of you hated 13 Days in My New House for the excessive spice, brace yourselves, because you might hate this one for the uncertainty.
I wrote the last line of House of Crimson Vows followed by "The End" last Thursday, and I honestly needed a second to breathe. The writing timeline for this draft was so crazy you probably won't even believe me. I was typing 6K to 8K words a day while staying at a friend's house deep in the woods, totally cut off from the world. It was just me, my friends off fishing or by the pool, some deer, coyotes, and the occasional bear.
I promised myself I wouldn’t start writing until after school started, but I literally couldn't sleep. I alredy drew my cover and characters. Mia and Kai's story was running on a loop in my head like a broken damn record. I told myself I’d just write a chapter or two to test the waters. Well, I ended up writing 34 chapters, and boom, that was the entire draft.
During those two weeks, I Googled the most insane things. I basically earned a virtual law degree just double-checking all the legal details to make sure everything made sense, plus a few other sketchy topics that make me hope the FBI doesn't come knocking on my door. I lived in this world completely for two straight weeks. It’s wild in there. But I was so happy to revisit Rhea and Paul's house and see them again. The whole thing feels so cinematic to me. There are scenes where I just wanted to close my eyes and linger in that world a little longer.
Oh, and if you’re wondering why my heroine is albino, I honestly have no fucking clue. That’s just how the best character details happen, right? Sometimes your brain locks onto a visual and refuses to let it go.
I just saw her that way and loved the contrast against Kai’s darker features, which works so well for a dark mafia romance. Then shortly after, I randomly saw an albino guy in real life. He was so striking, and while I forced myself not to stare, I took it as a 100% sign from the universe that I had to stick with it.
It’s been four days since I finished, and there are definitely things I want to fix. The ending as it stands will probably make your jaw drop straight to the floor, so I feel like I need to drop a few more breadcrumbs during edits so your jaw at least stays attached to your face.
With 13 Days in My New House, I knew taking a risk on heavy spice would mean some DNFs, and those reviews are starting to pop up now. But with House of Crimson Vows, I think the sheer uncertainty is what’s going to throw people off. The ending feels a bit raw and unhinged, which was totally intentional for this first draft. I’m the kind of person who hates stories that spell out every single detail. I love books and movies that leave you wondering what happens next. Plus, keeping things open gives me a window to potentially write another book later. I got so sucked into this universe that I'm not sure I can climb out of the rabbit hole just yet. I already have an outline for a potential war, but I need to keep quiet and stop getting ahead of myself!
I love their dynamic as captor and captive. Mia definitely isn’t some scared heroine who’s going to sit in a corner and cry. She fights back, and I love that about her. She’s an absolute nightmare for Kai to keep locked up.
Anyone who knows me knows I don't write simple, fluffy stories. Happy endings aren't guaranteed, or at least, I’ll make you think everything is fine when in reality things take a much bumpier road. I guess I’m drawn to dark, twisted stories because my own life was far from perfect. Going through my darkest moments completely shifted how I view the world, relationships, and people. It’s not a bad thing, though. It helped me explore my own dark side and make peace with things from my past.
Anyway, my best friend already devoured the entire first draft in two days, and my husband is currently on chapter 15. The feedback has been amazing so far, and they both keep saying it reads like a movie. I really hope it becomes one day, because there are scenes I would literally die to see on the big screen. Right now, I want to add way more dialogue, tension, and suspense. The core plot is pretty solid so I'm not changing the foundation, but I want more yearning, more pain, more everything. And I’m going to do my absolute best to deliver.
Fun detail: every book I write gets its own background track that I listen to on repeat while typing. For this one, it was Princeps Abyssi Nocturne Dominus. It set the exact right mood for every single chapter. Whenever I hear it now, I close my eyes and I’m right back in the story.
My goal is to add about 10K more words, get through full editing and proofreading, and hopefully send out ARCs sometime in October. This is my very first Mafia Romance Thriller with a psychological twist, which is a mix I rarely see out there. I hope it delivers everything you're looking for and becomes a story you want to revisit again and again.
Want to read it early or lock in your copy?
ARC Sign-Ups are open! I'll be sending out copies this fall once edits are wrapped.
Official Release Date: January 12th, 2027
Thank you all so much for the endless support and for ordering so many signed copies lately. I promise I’ll personally pack and ship every single one the moment House of Crimson Vows is officially in my hands!
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