64. Put it on the Record

SIXTY-FOUR

"Hey everyone! We're excited and honored to have Aurora James on our podcast today. If you've been following along with anything in the book world, you've heard about her standalone series that has exploded over the last few months. And if you have the internet, you've heard about the big, slightly accidental, reveal of Aurora—or Delilah Howard's private life."

We all laughed, and I was thankful for the reprieve of only my voice being recorded because my face was all kinds of red.

"Welcome, welcome Aurora! Thank you for being here. How should we refer to you now that everyone knows your real name?"

We'd talked about it beforehand and I'd had time to make up my mind. "Thank you guys for having me. You can call me Del, since I'll be publishing with my real name from now on."

"So, you actually reached out to us this time and we were like—immediately yes. We knew we wanted to make that happen. You definitely could've told your story on a bigger podcast, or talk show even with the platform you have now, but we think it's so cool that you came back to us."

"I thought maybe it would be best to tell my actual story the way it started. The only audience I want to reach are my readers, so this just made sense."

"So for anyone who's been living under a rock, what's happened since the last time you were on the pod?"

I let out a long breath. "Everything. Good and bad. All of it. My life totally flipped upside down. The last time I talked to you guys I was single and pregnant and the second book of my series went viral on social media. It was crazy."

"And slightly out of nowhere right? We've loved you for a while now, but you just started writing full time this year."

"Yes, definitely. My books had been out for a while, but they fell into the right hands. I was working on my next release and all of a sudden my followers and sales exploded. I was contacted by a few publishers and signed a book deal not long before my private life changed."

"You're talking about Parker James now, right."

I smiled. "I am."

"For anyone who doesn't know. Del's boyfriend and baby daddy is Seattle's star pitcher. Very easy on the eyes, with the cutest dimples you've ever seen."

I laughed. "I'll tell him you said that. He's going to love it."

"So, obviously your private life has become very public, but the narrative hasn't been under your control. How did you and Parker meet?"

"Oh, we go way back. To elementary school. We grew up together. Parker is my oldest and longest friend."

"We love a friends to lovers trope! All that time your relationship was purely platonic?" I nodded. "You're telling me there was never a drunk kiss or anything? No spin the bottle in junior high?"

I chuckled. She had no idea why that question was so funny. "No, really. Nothing happened. Well, until it did, obviously."

"You're talking about your daughter, Lily."

"Yes."

"And how is Parker as a dad? The internet is getting a major DILF vibe and going crazy about it."

"He's the best dad. That's really how everything started up with us again after our misunderstanding. He came home and jumped in like he'd been there all along. I'm so lucky to have a partner like him."

"I can tell by her face, guys. You can't see it, but I can. You're in love. You think he's the one?"

"At the risk of looking ridiculous later and getting judged by the internet? Yes. I'm completely in love for the first time in my life. I know that's ironic since I write romance, but it's true. This is a first for me in so many ways. I've always believed that real love is out there for everyone, but I felt a little like a fraud writing my books because I didn't think it was for me. My books were what I wish happened. I'm sure there was fault on both sides in my past relationships. I've never claimed to be a perfect partner. The series was based on completely fictional people because the FMCs were definitely not me and there were so many characteristics in the men I wrote that were not from anything I've ever experienced in real life."

"And you were contracted for a book that was supposed to be a baseball romance, right?"

I was expecting that question. "Yes. I started writing it long before Parker and I were together."

"And it was based on a similar situation?"

"It had a hot baseball player in it," I supplied.

"But you didn't finish it?"

"No, it just didn't come to me and I think it's because usually over time the characters change and become separate from my original plan. These characters didn't. It was my story and I didn't know what would happen next. I didn't want to write an ending that I didn't know would happen. I'm not the most superstitious person alive, but my mom says you shouldn't count your chickens before they hatch or whatever."

They both looked at me like they had no idea what that meant.

"Sorry, it must be a Midwest thing. Basically don't get ahead of yourself."

"No, that makes complete sense. But you gave us early copies so we know your next release is about your special guy."

"Correct." I felt pride swell in my chest.

"But it's not what your audience is used to."

"No. I thought I might do something a little different this time."

"And what is that?"

"Tell the truth. Everyone loves the stories where the guy confesses his feelings in a huge moment, but that just wasn"t my story. I left a lot unsaid because of my traumatic past and out of fear, honestly. This is me throwing caution to the wind and pouring my heart out. It's the most vulnerable thing I've ever done, and I think that's really powerful. I've found myself keeping feelings in a lot because of the pressure society puts on us to not show our romantic, feminine side. I always thought it was like showing enemies where to hit you, but really, Parker makes me stronger the same way I do for him."

They were silent on the other side of the interview, so I continued.

"I like to think of my past work as hope for the future and this next project is the proof."

"What do you mean by that?"

"People who hate on romance readers say our books are unrealistic. Superstar proves them wrong. I didn't want to write fiction this time because for once, my reality is better than the ideas living in my head."

"You guys can't see us right now but we are losing our minds. This is amazing Del, we can't wait for everyone to get their hands on Superstar when it comes out next Wednesday." To me she said, "Do you have any plans for release day?"

"I am going off the grid and spending time with my family. Spring training starts soon so I'd like to soak up as much time with my people as possible. And avoid social media at all costs."

"I'd hate to see your DMs once this is out in the wild." She held up my book.

"Me too." I shook my head with a smile. "Usually I monitor them on my own, but Parker has requested to take over for the day and show me anything he thinks I need to see."

"Oh, no. You just opened a major can of worms. Your DMs are going to be flooded now."