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In this Holiday Replay episode of Write Out Loud, we revisit our unforgettable conversation with Kristen Ashley, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose career has helped redefine modern romance publishing.

With more than 90 novels published, over 5 million copies sold, and translations in 14 languages, Kristen shares a candid look at her journey—from years of rejection to massive success—by trusting her voice and writing the stories she wanted to read.

✨ Episode Highlights

📚 Writing Your Own Rules

Kristen discusses why she embraced first-person POV in romance despite industry resistance, how breaking “the rules” helped her find her voice, and why readers can tell when a story is written authentically.

🚪 Rejection, Persistence & Indie Publishing

She opens up about spending over a decade submitting to traditional publishers, writing more than 25 books before publishing, and the pivotal moment she decided to self-publish—leading to a sudden and explosive rise in readership.

🔥 Voice Over Trends

Kristen emphasizes the importance of writing for an “audience of one,” trusting your instincts, and resisting the pressure to chase trends. Her advice: readers can feel when a writer isn’t enjoying their own work.

💔 Imposter Syndrome & Success

Even after selling thousands of books and landing on the New York Times Bestseller List, Kristen shares how success didn’t feel real at first—and what finally helped her believe it.

💘 Romance That Feels Safe

From expansive epilogues to external conflict, Kristen explains how she creates relationships that feel secure, earned, and lasting—giving readers emotional reassurance without sacrificing tension.

🎨 Creative Control & Covers

She talks about avoiding faces on book covers, letting readers imagine characters for themselves, and balancing creative control across indie and traditional publishing.

📖 Books Mentioned:

• Smooth Sailing
• Own the Wind
• Rock Chick Series
• Chaos Series

 Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. We really hope that you're enjoying every bit of it, but we would love to hear your feedback. Drop us an email either to Matt@writeoutloudpod.com or christina@bookmatchmaker.com. We would love to hear your thoughts. What's working, what's not working. And what do you want to hear more of? Thanks so much. We really appreciate it.

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