🍋 When life hands you lemons...

What happens when your plans get wildly blown off course?

Hey Reader,

You might have noticed I was in the middle of launching 33 Asks® when things suddenly went quiet. Well, there's a story there (as there always is with a writer).

I ended up having emergency surgery. (Nothing says "happy holidays" quite like a blocked bile duct, am I right?)

The irony? Just before this happened, I wrote a whole post all about why rest ISN'T always the answer. And now I'm stuck resting for weeks.

Some backstory:

I was in my element at the end of 2024 - my queer contemporary romcom, BECAUSE FAT GIRL, had just come out and was a massive hit. It was (and still is!) in almost every airport and bookstore nationwide. I'd done successful and fun book tours up and down California and all around the Pacific Northwest. Momentum was building and I had that wonderful kind of energy that comes from seeing a dream come true.

People kept telling me to rest, but I knew that wasn't what I needed. I had WAY TOO MUCH creative inspiration and excited energy, and I needed to channel that into:

• Visiting bookstores
• Planning amazing live events
• Creating fun experiences for my readers
• Building momentum for my book tour

Rest was not the answer for me at that time. In fact, it was the exact opposite of what I needed to do.

​Read this blog post all about what I did instead, with tips on how to handle overwhelm when "rest" isn't the answer.​

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So, I had my plan and was blowing and going... and then, right before Christmas, I found myself rushed to the hospital with stabbing pain in my back so intense I could barely breathe. I felt like I’d swallowed a sword.

For the first time in my life, when a doctor asked about my pain level from 1-10, I actually said 10.

Rest may not always be the answer, but sometimes - like when you've just had surgery - rest isn't just suggested, it's required.

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What I've learned over the past couple of months is this:

There are times when rest is vital, and times when it's actually counterproductive. The trick is knowing the difference.

Speaking of which - while I'm taking the rest I need right now, I wanted to let you know that we won't be doing a full launch of 33 Asks® as planned.

However, we ARE still having our live coaching call on January 28, and I'd love to have you join us.

​33 Asks® is a lifetime membership program, so you can join anytime and get access to all future live coaching calls. If you're feeling called to join us, we'd love to have you!

(But don't worry - I won't be flooding your inbox with launch emails. Doctor's orders! 😉)

Here's to knowing when to rest, when to hustle, and having the wisdom to tell the difference.

Take care,

Lauren

P.S. If you're interested in joining 33 Asks®, you can learn more here.

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Because the world needs your story now more than ever.™

Love, Lauren Founder of School for Writers® and author of BECAUSE FAT GIRL ​ ​ ​

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