Fiona Helmuth

I had the initial idea for this novel back in 2024. It stayed in the back of the drawer for months, and then kept competing for my attention amidst other projects.

Two years later, I've finally written "The End" on its first draft. 🥹 I've amassed 76,587 words about theater people who have stolen my heart.

There's so much revising work ahead, but right now I'm giddy and teary. And six-year-old me is in awe that I've written two full novels!

Plugging away at the final chapters of my work in progress!

I'm most productive when I'm out and about, and the library is the perfect place to help the words flow. Add in local artwork showcasing favorite sites in town? 10/10!

I basically live in the upstate New York version of Stars Hollow. Right down to the charming gazebo and the seasonal festivities and the quirky characters. I walk into the village coffee shop (sadly, not Luke's, but almost as good) and always run into familiar faces. It's a dream 😍

Today was our Community Collection Day, when a few volunteer organizations come together to support the local food pantry. Rain and chilly temps didn't deter us, and the Friends of the Library collected hundreds of books for our annual summer sale!

I love this place with every ounce of me. I love its people and its traditions and its spirit. In fact, it's the inspiration for the setting of my first novel (all I had to add was the ocean).

Days like today remind me why I had to write about it!

Lily King's writing is elegant, and it captures the human experience seamlessly. I see why HEART THE LOVER has so many fans!

This was one of those books that I couldn't put down, even though the narrator kept frustrating me. That's the beauty of King's prose, though. She pulls wisdom from both everyday and monumental events, and gives it to the reader without agenda or instructions.

And, of course, I loved the shoutouts to Maine!

Finally got my hands on ATMOSPHERE, and I see what all the fuss is about! There are so many exquisite passages, and such soaring, universal themes. Taylor Jenkins Reid is a masterful storyteller and never disappoints.

If feminism, science, love, and found family are your jam, pick it up! 😍

My choir had its spring concert last night, and I'm brimming with community and connection today!

It's my favorite theme, the thread that runs through my novels. No wonder I had goosebumps when the college students' voices washed over the rest of the choir, embracing us. I'll miss our rehearsals (like the one in the photo), but there are always more concerts, always more chances to express ourselves.

After a piano lesson, my (then eight-year-old) son once said, "The arts make you feel good." And it's true, isn't it? The arts make you feel good.

Find your art. Write or make music or create or dance or act or paint. It's all real. It's all important.

The North Shore will always hold my heart. Thanks for the beautiful childhood, Massachusetts. What a place to call home 💙

Truthfully? I loved this one until I got to the last few chapters. Maybe it's the part of me that's been on submission for so long, but it's hard to wrap my head around how quickly Casey gets an agent and how her book goes to auction (!) within mere days of being on sub.

Lily King's writing is beautiful, though, and I appreciate the quiet nature of this book (of course!!). And the frequent references to Boston make my New England heart glow.

The big takeaway? Publish in the 90s, not the 20s 😂

What did you think of WRITERS AND LOVERS? Is HEART THE LOVER worth reading if I felt this way about its predecessor?

The keys to writing 2,000+ words a day?

Fracture your foot so that you have to rest for hours on end. Invite two giant furballs to share your space. Cowork beside your husband to keep you both accountable. Productivity (and dog snores) skyrocket 😆

But seriously. I'm flying through these chapters. In the final stretch!

My daughter's favorite part of her bedtime routine: stories with the pup!

What should they read next? 🐶

If you have to have a metatarsal fracture, this is the book to read while you're laid up! Going to urgent care wasn't on my bingo card for today, but THE CORRESPONDENT carried me through the long waits (and the aftermath at home).

Virginia Evans creates such vivid characters. I couldn't believe how well I knew them from the letters that make up the entirety of the novel. A brilliant structure and intricate plot, along with empathy for what it means to be a human and all the joy and grief and courage that it takes. Pick up a copy as soon as you can!