Welcome to Episode 54 of The Author Next Door — and a special sneak peek of our very first Author Next Door After Dark episode 🍷

In this After Dark preview, Angela Haas and Cassie Newell pull up a chair, pour a drink, and dig into a topic we love to challenge:

👉 Romance is not a genre — it’s a skill set.

From thrillers and fantasy to sci-fi and action, romance (or relationships) shape emotional stakes, character motivation, tension, and payoff — whether writers realize they’re using it or not. In this candid, unscripted conversation, we talk about:

• Why every genre uses romance tools (even when it pretends not to)
• How romance subplots increase pressure, stakes, and reader investment
• The difference between character flaws vs. emotional wounds
• What chemistry really reveals about power dynamics and values
• Why misplaced kisses ruin great action scenes (yes, we’re looking at you, Hollywood 👀)
• Why romance is still misunderstood — and why that’s finally changing

This episode is looser, deeper, and more unfiltered than our regular episodes — the kind of conversation that usually happens after hours, when authors stop performing and start telling the truth.

✨ Want more After Dark episodes like this?
Future After Dark conversations are available only to our newsletter subscribers, and they’re always:

• Bite-sized
• Honest
• Craft-focused
• Romance-forward (without the fluff)

👉 Sign up for our free newsletter using the link below to get access to upcoming After Dark episodes — including next month’s candid discussion on spice, tension, and why emotional foreplay matters more than page count.

Pull up a chair. Pour a drink.
Welcome to After Dark.

🔔 Subscribe for more! ➡ https://www.youtube.com/@TheAuthorNextDoor

🎙️For More About The Author Nextdoor ➡ https://theauthornextdoor.com/

Sign up for exclusive content 👉 https://bit.ly/49hvRVp

🗺️ Other places to find us and connect:
ANGELA HAAS Choose your own adventure 🚀💕 https://ahaaswrites.com/

CASSIE NEWELL Romance 🩷 https://ckdarling.com/
Young Adult 🧚 https://authorcmnewell.com/

ℹ️ Keywords 🔑 romance in every genre, romance writing craft, emotional core of storytelling, writing emotional stakes, romance subplot, character chemistry, writing relationships, emotional tension in fiction, romance author podcast, writing craft podcast

🧾 If you’ve published a book or two and you’re thinking… “Now what?” — this episode is for you.
In Episode 53 of The Author Next Door, Angela Haas and Cassie Newell kick off the year with the unsexy-but-critical topic most authors avoid: business goals.

Because once you decide you want to earn income from your books, you’re not “just writing” anymore… you’re officially a small business owner.

In this episode, we talk about the question that changes everything:

✅ Is writing your hobby… or your career plan?
Your answer determines your path — from how you spend money to how you market, set goals, and build a sustainable author life.

We cover:

📌 The “Now What?” phase after publishing a few books
📌 How Cassie shifted from hobby mindset to business strategy (and why)
📌 Streamlining costs and getting a return on your investment
📌 Business basics authors forget: separation of expenses, systems, and tracking
📌 The KU vs Wide conversation (and why “test one thing at a time” matters)
📌 How to stop comparing yourself to full-time authors when you’re not full-time
📌 Why knowing your reader (like, really knowing them) is a business skill
📌 Short game vs long game: building a strategy you can actually sustain

✨ This episode is equal parts pep talk + practical, designed to help authors stop winging it and start making confident, intentional decisions.

👇 Question of the week:
Are you treating your writing like a hobby—or building it like a business?

🔔 Subscribe for more! ➡ https://www.youtube.com/@TheAuthorNextDoor

🎙️For More About The Author Nextdoor ➡ https://theauthornextdoor.com/

Sign up for exclusive content 👉 https://bit.ly/49hvRVp

🗺️ Other places to find us and connect:
ANGELA HAAS Choose your own adventure 🚀💕 https://ahaaswrites.com/

CASSIE NEWELL Romance 🩷 https://ckdarling.com/
Young Adult 🧚 https://authorcmnewell.com/

ℹ️ Keywords 🔑 writing goals, business mindset, self-publishing, author success, reader engagement, financial planning, creative process, marketing strategies, indie authors, book performance

✨ What happens when you stop chasing numbers—and start chasing joy instead?
In this episode of The Author Next Door, Angela Haas and Cassie Newell sit down with indie author Holly Lyne to reflect on a year of unexpected growth, mindset shifts, and creative breakthroughs.

Holly shares how 2025 became a transformative year in her author journey—one where simplifying goals, reconnecting with creativity, and focusing on genuine reader engagement led to more success than she ever anticipated.

Together, they talk honestly about the realities of indie publishing today: navigating digital marketing, experimenting with platforms like TikTok, managing multiple pen names, and building meaningful connections through newsletters and community.

In this episode they explore:

📌 How mindset shifts can unlock creativity and productivity
📌 Why simplicity often leads to better writing goals
📌 Letting go of metrics and focusing on reader connection
📌 The challenges (and surprises) of marketing in the digital age
📌 Managing pen names with intention and strategy
📌 Using newsletters to build real engagement—not just numbers
📌 Finding inspiration and balance outside of writing (yes, concerts count 🎶)
📌 Why joy in the process can lead to unexpected wins

✨ This episode is a refreshing reminder that success as an indie author isn’t just about views, sales, or algorithms—it’s about sustainability, creativity, and loving the work you’re building.

👇 Question of the week:
What’s one way you’re trying to bring more joy into your writing this year? ✍️✨

Where to find Holly: https://hblyne.com/
https://writerroadmap.com/

🔔 Subscribe for more! ➡ https://www.youtube.com/@TheAuthorNextDoor

🎙️For More About The Author Nextdoor ➡ https://theauthornextdoor.com/

Sign up for exclusive content 👉 https://bit.ly/49hvRVp

🗺️ Other places to find us and connect:
ANGELA HAAS Choose your own adventure 🚀💕 https://ahaaswrites.com/

CASSIE NEWELL Romance 🩷 https://ckdarling.com/
Young Adult 🧚 https://authorcmnewell.com/

ℹ️ Keywords 🔑 indie author, writing goals, mindset, marketing strategies, TikTok, creativity, pen names, engagement, newsletters, writing to market, indie authors, self-publishing