ᦔꫀꪖ᥅ ᥅ꫀꪖᦔꫀ᥅ᦓ

We've now reached the end of a wonderful journey!

Thank you to all my amazing Read for Read partners and to any other readers who accidentally found this book and decided to give it a try!

There are some things I want to share about the process of writing this story, but I don't want to go on a long rant so I decided to present it in a Q&A format to reveal some insights about "Take One More Step."

What Inspired Take One More Step?

To be honest, inspiration came after I had the plot. I struggled for two months with another story before this idea popped into my mind. Akhyra was actually the name of another protagonist from my abandoned work. The conflict of "A celebrity who's afraid of human contact" suddenly came to me, and that's what kept me going to develop the plot.

Which main character was more difficult to write about?

Lucian Moreno. Originally, he was Akhyra's bodyguard (yes, Carper didn't exist!). I wanted to create a celebrity X bodyguard romance story. However, as I planned for dual POV, I struggled to develop conflict and personal goals for Lucian. I wanted him to have a life outside of Akhyra while remaining central to her story, so choosing an occupation for him was challenging.

How did Lucian end up being a soccer player?

I was inspired by Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce at the 2024 Super Bowl! Despite knowing nothing about the sport, I watched it for the first time this year just to support Taylor's boyfriend. Their sweet interaction after the game (Was it electric? It was unbelievable!) unlocked something in my brain. Even before I knew what they said, their kissing and heart eyes made me think, "I NEED TO WRITE ABOUT THIS." And so, Lucian Moreno, rising star of the Haitian football team, was born.

𝐿𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑇𝑎𝑦𝑣𝑖𝑠 𝑆𝑢𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝐵𝑜𝑤𝑙 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡. 𝐶𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑘 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒→

Which character surprised me the most?

Lucemaëlla Moreno! Adding her as a character was a last-minute decision, but she had a significant impact on the story. I didn't initially plan for siblings, so it was a pleasant surprise to see her become a favorite among readers.

Which chapters were most difficult to write?

17. First date at the museum.

22. First erotic moment (bathroom/lingerie scene).

37. Akhyra's rejection of Lucian at the fundraising gala.

Which chapters am I most proud of?

13. Lucian rescues her in the flood (TakeOneMoreStep scene!).

14. The aftermath (cozy/vulnerable moment in bed).

These two chapters will always have a special place in my heart!

Random facts:

Word count: 90k words (longest story I've ever written).

Written span: February 14 - June 24 (131  Days).

Current reading stats: 2.96k reads/625 votes.

Achievements:

- 3rd round qualifier of Wattpad's Open Novella Contest.

- Featured by Wattpad's Romance on their "Sports" reading list (June 2024).

- 3rd place Romance winner in Raven Awards (not affiliated with Wattpad).

- 3rd place Best Male Protagonist in Wildest Dreams Awards (not affiliated with Wattpad).

-2nd place winner for Best Supporting Character in Readers Choices awards (not affiliated with Wattpad).

What's next now?

I'll be taking a well-deserved break from writing and will probably come back in fall with a new story. I have many ideas already, but I need time to pick one worthy plot and make it work!

In the meantime, I'll be removing my two unfinished works from Wattpad: If You Fall First and Death At Your Rescue. I'm doing this to give a spotlight to my two complete Haitian Romance stories, A Better Sky Somewhere and Take One More Step.

Some of you have already read A Better Sky Somewhere, but for my new readers, it's a contemporary romance about a university student, Norabel (22), and a radio journalist, Ethan (27). It follows their challenging journey amidst the political unrest and insecurity in Haiti. This story explores darker themes than TOMS but maintains a heartwarming tone throughout.

The final playlist for TOMS is now linked in my bio, and I will also share the link in the comments. 𝐶𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑘 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒→

Bonus link of the tiktok video that inspired me to choose "Enchanted" as a wedding entrance. 𝐶𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑘 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒→ 

There's nothing left to say!

I love you all, and hopefully, I'll see you in my next book!

ᥴꪖᦓᦓꪗꨄ︎