Announcing my new book!

"Finally" - you

Hello hi hey there

After months of truly INCREDIBLE self-control and not telling you ANYTHING, I’m so excited to share the news that my next book, How to Write a Love Story, will be published in Spring 2026!

Here is a little blurb my publisher wrote that I will use because I am bad at them:

How to Write a Love Story follows writer Ciara as she undertakes the biggest project of her career: finishing her late father’s bestselling and beloved epic fantasy series. Enter Sam: hotshot New York editor sent straight to Ciara’s doorstep. Ciara and Sam have the hottest Irish summer on record to write this novel together – but will their own love story be the plot twist neither of them sees coming?

Fun!

It is DUAL POV, set in Ireland (during a heatwave, so I guess it’s technically a fantasy novel. how meta), features my favorite meet-cute ever, and, as always, at least two jokes. I love it, and I hope you will too. Okay!

THINGS TO TELL YOU ABOUT!

Wait, what’s happening?

You can read more about the announcement here!!

I will write another newsletter about what this all means and what the last few months have been like for me (because I know you are nosy), but for now, I’m so excited to share that I’ve found some new homes for my next book! They are Dutton Books (PRH) in the US, Penguin Books in Canada, and Sphere in the UK. Screen rights are represented by Mary Pender at WME (fancy), and so far, we have sold translation rights for Swedish, Dutch, German, Lithuanian, French, and Polish editions. I was especially thrilled that so many of my current translation publishers were like ‘sure, why not’ and I’m also excited to say that I’ll be published in Spanish for the first time too! Hola!!

wtf do you mean 2026??? Catherine wtf???

I know it’s a long wait! But I have no control over it, so oh well!!! The book is in the final stages of editing (the best stage because it means it’s almost done, and I’m not like ‘uh oh’ all the time), but we’re going to use 2025 to build some buzz and give this story the best shot possible. I hope you will please join me in building the buzz because if you have been following me for a while you will believe me when I say I have no idea what I’m doing. Truly just coasting by on my abundance of charm.

I know pre-orders are important so when does that happen?

Not yet!!! Soon!!! That’s a lie. Not soon. It will be next year. Preorders (when you purchase a book ahead of publication) are incredibly important for authors because they tell bookshops you are a Popular Girl and also help you onto those pesky bestseller lists. It is the biggest thing you can do to support an author you like (me), and when it’s time for that, please forgive the very Cool and Normal email I will send. Basically, the better the book does, the more chances I will have to write more. Simple as that!! Business time!!!!

What about Christmas I only care about Christmas

I know a lot of people were expecting another Holiday book from me, but there are no firm plans for that at the moment. Maybe in the future! But I have lots of other ideas and stories I can’t wait to share with you.

Final thoughts

Ciara and Sam have been in my head since 2021, although the characters have grown a lot since they first said hello. The story has deepened, and jokes have been lost (R.I.P. to that boob joke), but the central themes are still there. It’s a story about grief and home. About community and books and friendship and choices, but most of all, about two people falling in love. (Even if they might not realize it at first). I’m really proud of it and I hope you like it.

So much more to come. As always, thank you for sticking with me.

C x