Thank fuck this book is finally over. Respectfully.

Jordan and I started writing BRIGHTSIDE and OVERKILL at the end of 2022. To say we are relieved to finally put these books to rest would be an understatement. As beloved as they are, and forever will they hold a special place in our hearts, the years during which we wrote these were not very kind, and so it definitely made the writing process drag just a little bit. We're also excited to write some stories that are a bit more lighthearted like our next collaboration will be. And, hopefully, a lot shorter. Overwriting is fun. Editing an overwritten book? Not so much.

To be completely honest, this is not my favorite book, and I already have so many things I want to change if I ever get around to editing. The biggest of which would be to change it to dual POV, as I think that would suit this particular story. The most important thing, though, in my opinion, is being able to say I finished this. As my unfinished manuscript graveyard would tell you, finishing a story is often the hardest part, even if there's much you want to change after.

Unlike ADRENALINE or HOLOCENE which feature characters who are thrust into the music industry after growing up outside of it, what I wanted to showcase with OVERKILL was a study of a character who was born into it. The nepo baby of it all. What most nepo babies in Hollywood seem to misunderstand is that nobody thinks they should have nothing to do with following in the footsteps of their relatives. But, rather, that privilege is a vast and complex tool, and acknowledging that it benefits you in some way is very important. Nepotism exists in many industries, but the entertainment industry is one that absolutely thrives on having connections, resources, and insider insight. Mick and Moxie were born out of the frustration many of us feel when listening to a famous producer's child moan about how all of their connections and exposure to the industry had nothing to do with them getting their foot in the door, or their ability to hone their craft in ways that someone without those same privileges would not so easily be able to. Mick and Moxie are big fans of fellow nepo baby Jack Quaid.

The entertainment industry, as we know, has many dark sides, especially when we look into the lives and experiences of child stars. Both Cruella and Moxie—as well as Ursula, though we don't see that through Moxie's perspective—suffer at the hands of adults trusted to care for these women/girls. And it takes them years to confront their feelings over what was done to them, which results in different pathways moving forward. While we see Cruella open up about her experiences—through the song, through the interviews, while not necessarily name-dropping anyone because, unfortunately, that often doesn't work out for women—Moxie chooses to keep it to herself and her family. There is no one perfect way to react. While it might be incredibly brave to expose your trauma like that to the rest of the world, it's also completely valid not to want to do that. That's why I chose to have Cruella describe some of what happened to her, while Moxie's story is left vague.

All of the relationships portrayed in this story are incredibly important to me—the tenderness between Moxie and Cruella, the steadfast support between Moxie and her family, especially with Mick, the beauty and pain of girlhood reflected with Moxie and all the women in her life. Women are The story. It has never been made more clear to me that I will always first and foremost write stories about women.

As Axel Canterbury once said in a now-deleted draft, Moxie is King Lesbian. She loves her bisexual girlfriend, and her bisexual girlfriend's lesbian sister. She loves all her bisexual and pansexual and queer friends. This is a big, fat queer story (non derogatory, always). She's also an intersectional feminist, which is also the only kind of feminist you should be, otherwise you're not really a feminist. If all these weren't one of your takeaways from this book, we have a problem.

To end this after an already too long book, I would like to thank you for joining me on this journey that took far too long. I would not have been able to finish this without my other half—in writing, in life, in bozo-ness—Jordan. You should read literally everything she's ever written. I promise, you'll leave wanting even more.

Until next time (aka very soon because 2026 will be a productive and fulfilling year, I promise).