Introduction

Welcome to my writing journey — a month‑by‑month look at how I went from scribbling ideas to publishing my first book. This blog is full of my thoughts, fanfics, reading lists, and the messy, magical process that brought me here. Month by month I will be adding to this so as I work and creative my magical romantic worlds you can join me on the journey! 

About Me

Hello to all my future readers. My name is Christina James, and I am a creative and writer living in the UK, publishing under my name. I have been creative since I was little, performing, making plays, drawing, and writing. My fascination with the arts began when I was a young girl, and I’ve loved them ever since. I’ve also written and performed sketches and small scripts for local theatre companies. I trained in the performing arts, which I believe has helped my creativity in writing. My imagination is big, but I also draw inspiration from stage shows, films/TV, books, and other creative sources. I hope one day to adapt my novels into films or TV series and to do the voice-over for audiobooks. If I don’t do it myself, I’d like to direct and produce, so I see my vision come to life. I know this will be a long way into the future, though.

I hope through this blog to show my creative process, inspire other creatives or soon-to-be creatives, share my thoughts on books I have read and recommend books, and share what I have learnt and am learning through this author journey. Please follow me on my social media: TikTok, Instagram, and Threads. If there is anything you would like me to talk about, please let me know. Ask me questions. I will do my best to answer them. I won’t discuss my personal life excessively, as I value my privacy and that of my family and friends. Also, let me know your book recommendations!

2024 – The Year Everything Started

January to December 2024.

I started writing a book of poems in January 2024 using poems I wrote years ago and more recent ones as well. I also started writing a short story for myself. For various reasons, I've postponed publishing my poems, but I still intend to do so someday; I hope my creative work will inspire and help others. 

However, the short story I thought would be a good basis for my first novel, which I then started writing. It is going well but is a long way from being published. I am aiming for the summer or autumn of 2025. It is called Whispers Of The Welsh Valley, a real life romance, and I am so excited but also nervous for people to read it! I am really enjoying writing these characters and the world they are in, though sometimes they write themselves! Being able to create is fantastic, and it helps me with my mental health. I hope my published work will inspire and help others, especially since it addresses many serious issues. There is a content warning. 

I also, in between writing my novel, did a couple of fan fictions for the Dreamboys. Both of them are two completely different stories and were a gift for them. I'm keeping them unpublished, but I'm pleased and happy to say they loved and really enjoyed the stories. I wrote one in April and presented it to them in May; then the guys asked me to write another! I wrote that one in October and presented it to them in November. I was worried about giving it to them because of being scared and nervous, but I need not have worried. Though I won’t be doing any more due to focussing on my novel. It was a lot of hard work, but I enjoyed the challenge of doing something different! The writing style was different from my novel, which was nice as it gave me a break and gave me time to think about what to do next for it. 

Christmas 2004 and New Year 2025. 

Throughout the Christmas and New Year period, I have mostly taken time off to have some quality time with my family and friends. Also to relax and chill in between my job. Which I needed and deserved. I have, however, been getting lots of ideas for my novel and also been thinking of future novels too, including book two of this two book series. 

I have been reading as I love to read, which I always have done ever since I was a little girl. I think it is so important to read, especially when young, as it opens up a lot of opportunities and your imagination too. We need more children to read and be creative, or adults to read to them. Some of my happy childhood memories are of my parents reading to me (putting on all the voices!) or reading to myself in the garden or in the house or anywhere I could! Carrying loads of books around with me! I did other creative things too, for example, making up plays with my family and performing them!

2025 – Writing Gets Serious

January 2025.

I have been going full steam ahead with writing and creating this magical world. Although I had writer's block in December and struggled a little with inspiration, I am back now, filled with ideas. I started a writing course on BBC Maestro, How to Write a Love Story with Jo Jo Moyes, the bestselling author of Me Before You. It is really helpful and has loads in it. Some things I hadn’t even thought about being a new author! I would recommend doing something like this course; I find it makes you think of stuff you wouldn’t have thought about. Now I’m back at the planning stage, something I wish I had done more of before I started writing, but it is never too late to go back to look at your work so far and make changes and learn, right?! 

I have finished a Christmas book, The Very Naughty List by Callie Rose. This was the first book I have read of hers; she has done loads of other books. It was full of spice but also full of romance and fun too. The story and character development were really good. For my first read of 2025, I am going to be reading a book called Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce. It looks a cute, fun read, and I look forward to reading it, especially as it was a present. Oh yeah, I got loads of books for Christmas and my birthday, including a notebook for my notes for my book. I am so, so grateful for amazing, supportive family and friends and all the thoughtful gifts. 

I am enjoying the challenge of writing my first novel, and I am learning as I go. I will keep you updated on how I am doing. Don’t forget to follow me on social media too! 

After being ill and being signed off work for two weeks just into the new year, which was horrible. I didn’t do a lot while had a viral bug. I have got back into a writing schedule slowly and finished planning my novel, after realising I had not answered questions that arise later on and needing to add to the characters' backstories. Now I have a full plan, and have written down the plot and have a full timeline. Now I can get back to writing my novel. 

I also finished reading Dungeons and Dragons. It was a really sweet romance mixing theatre and d and d together. I think this is an awesome idea; the writing was good, the banter between the characters was sweet, and the story was awesome. Would recommend if you want to read a sweet romance book.

My next book to read is Dating and Dragons by Kristy Boyce, which looks fun, and I look forward to reading it! I loved this book. It was a really cute read, like the other one of hers. This was d and d games; I loved the story and characters. These books aren’t smutty but are perfect if you want a sweet little romance which is nice to read sometimes; I will be reading these books again.

Now I start book one of the Rockstar series called Dirty Like Me by Jaine Diamond. This one is smutty, but the story looks good. 

I have a new writing programme designed mainly for authors in mind called Scrivener. I am using the free trial to see if I like it before I purchase the full version. So far, I am enjoying it. It is making the writing a lot easier, and when it comes to publishing (a long way in the future!) it will help. 

February to July 2025

Where has the time gone? It’s been a busy few months. I finished my reading book, Dirty Like Me by Jaine Diamond. I enjoyed it — it was spicy but also a lovely romance. I’ll definitely be getting the rest of the series because I love a rock‑star romance. I also read Nectar Of The Wicked by Ella Fields. It wasn’t my usual genre, as it’s dark fantasy, but I did enjoy it, and book two is now on my ever‑growing TBR list.

I’ve been busy working on my many books. I’ve now bought the full version of Scrivener, and it’s great — a really useful programme. I’d recommend it to any author; it’s helped me so much with my writing.

I’m now reading a K‑Pop book called A World Apart by Kate Alexander, and so far I’m enjoying it.

My novel is coming along well. I now have three books on the go: Whispers Of The Welsh Valley, my Christmas novella Royalty In Dreamland, and a K‑Pop book called A Forbidden Romance. All have their challenges, but I’m enjoying writing them all. I’m also adding to my book of poems as inspiration strikes — most recently I wrote a poem for BTS. I’ll get it published in the future.

I have ideas for future books, but I’ll wait until some of my current ones are done. The mind keeps getting ideas, but three are enough for now!

I finished reading the K‑Pop book and loved it. The author clearly did her research on the industry, and it had me smiling, sad, and kicking my feet. I’ve added book two to my TBR list. My next read is If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich — perfect after a reading slump.

A lot of work is happening behind the scenes with my novels, including research on accents and cultures. I want to be respectful and accurate in my writing.

I’ve also set up my email list for subscribers. I send one email a month filled with exclusives and news not shown anywhere else.

August 2025

I’m aiming to do a lot more writing this month. Last month I was unwell and performing in a show (another passion of mine), so I didn’t get as much done as I’d hoped. Busy, busy bee with a busy life — as we all are.

I’m putting my Christmas novella Royalty In Dreamland on hold for now, as I need more research into accents, dialects, and the time period. It’s been challenging, but I’ll rise to it. One day I’ll share Flo and Marcus’s love story.

My novel Whispers Of The Welsh Valley needs a lot of work and redirection. Some parts just aren’t working for me anymore. Once I have a new plan and know where I want it to go, I’ll start writing again. Logan and Sophia’s story will be shared in the future. I won’t be publishing these books this year, but I’m aiming for next year.

My K‑Pop novel A Forbidden Romance is my focus. I hope to publish it in February 2026 for Valentine’s Day. I’ve had more ideas, so there will be a book two — I can’t fit everything into one book. The accents and dialects are slowly being added, and I’m still enjoying writing this forbidden love story.

I’ve been thinking over Whispers Of The Welsh Valley, and I’ll be returning to it soon. The characters have waited long enough.

My Christmas novella will wait until next year.

My poetry book is almost done — just three more poems to write. Then it will be a complete collection. I just need a title. I’m aiming for a Christmas release. Exciting but scary.

I’m continuing my writing course and doing lots of research, mainly for the K‑Pop book.

September 2025

This month I’ve been focusing on my K‑Pop novel A Forbidden Romance, and I’m enjoying it a lot. I always look forward to writing more.

I’ve been thinking about Whispers Of The Welsh Valley, coming up with new ideas and a new direction. I’m excited to return to Sophia and Logan’s story — they’ve waited long enough.

My poetry book is almost done — just three more poems to write. Then it will be a complete collection. I just need a title. I’m aiming for a Christmas release. Exciting but scary.

I’m continuing my writing course and doing lots of research, mainly for the K‑Pop book.

October 2025

Unfortunately, because of winter colds, illness, and life getting in the way, not much has happened at romance HQ at Christina James Author — damn these bugs! But some progress is happening.

A Forbidden Romance, my K‑Pop novel, is getting there, with accents and dialects being added and lots of new exciting ideas. This will be a two‑book (maybe more!) series depending on where the characters take me. While I write this forbidden romance, I listen to BTS. The original publication date of February 2026 has now changed to Easter, if all goes well.

My novel Whispers Of The Welsh Valley hasn’t had any updates yet, but when inspiration hits, I’ll be diving back into Logan and Sophia’s story. I’m hoping for a 2026 publication, but we’ll see how it goes.

My Christmas novel is one I hope to get back to soon, aiming for Christmas 2026.

My first collection of poetry is almost here! The name is still being decided. The new publication date is early next year — sadly not in time for this Christmas.

I can’t wait to introduce you to these book boyfriends I’ve fallen in love with — and I’m the author! Take care, read loads, and keep those romance dreams alive.

November 2025

After months in a reading slump, I finally broke through it and finished two books.

Icebreaker by Hannah Grace — an amazing book, brilliantly written, with great character arcs. Highly recommend. Nate is now added to my book boyfriend list!

If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich — perfect if you love gay or queer romances.

Writing‑wise, I’ve started a BTS fan fiction as a creative exercise. I’m thinking of sending it to them as a gift, so I won’t be publishing it.

My K‑Pop novel A Forbidden Romance is making great progress. Tae and Hallie, and Min and Carlie’s romances are developing with all the twists and turns of the K‑Pop industry. I’ve also had a new idea that will give the novel a unique twist — lots of research needed, but I’m excited.

I’ve finally returned to Whispers Of The Welsh Valley! It feels so good to be back with Logan and Sophia. I’ve been listening to country music to get into the mindset of their world. This will be a two‑book series, with book two focusing on Jemma and Fred’s love story, Passion Among The Peaks.

My Christmas novella Royalty In Dreamland is on hold until next year while I rethink parts of the story.

I’ve finished my first poetry collection — 32 poems about love, family, friends, mental health, nature, performing, and more. I hope to publish early next year. Still deciding on the name, but I know you’ll love it.

I’m enjoying other authors’ works, movies, TV shows, and stage shows — all feeding my creativity. Thank you for all your support. Keep your eyes on social media for publishing dates. Love you all.

December 2025

Not much writing this month — it’s been a quiet one as I slowed down for Christmas, New Year, and my birthday. I turned 40! A big milestone full of love and celebration.

I had a lovely Christmas and New Year with family on holiday in Germany — a relaxing, chilled break that I really needed. Now I’m ready for 2026 with new ideas and creative magic.

My K‑Pop novel A Forbidden Romance is still progressing nicely. I’m hopeful for a 2026 release, aiming for summertime.

My novel Whispers Of The Welsh Valley is going steady, and I’m enjoying writing it.

My Christmas novella Royalty In Dreamland has brand‑new ideas brewing, and I’ll return to it once the other two novels are done.

My first poetry collection is in the next stage of preparation for publication, aiming for February or March 2026. EXCITING NEWS — it now has a title: Heartfelt Poems To Inspire. It sums up the collection perfectly.

I’m also thinking about ways to finance my books, as publishing is expensive. I’m researching options so I can get my stories out to you. I’d also love to create merch and special gifts for book launches — keep an eye on my monthly email and social media for updates.

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me from the beginning. And if you’re new — welcome! Here’s to a big year in 2026, when I finally share the work I’ve poured my heart and soul into.

While in Germany, I visited a bookshop (of course!) and picked up some author calendars — they were awesome and funny.

I’ve been reading a lot this month, especially Christmas books, and getting ideas for future novels.

Books I finished this month:

A Heart For Christmas: An Advent Romance by Sophie Jomain — loved the concept of one chapter a day through December.

All We Want For Christmas by Phillipa Ashley — beautifully written with twists I didn’t expect.

Re‑read The Very Naughty List by Callie Rose — still enjoyable.

My next read is When Worlds Collide by Kate Alexandra — I loved book one, A World Apart, so I’m excited to see what happens next.

2026- The year the dream becomes real (Published Autor Era)

January 2026

Hello and welcome to 2026, fellow readers and followers! December was a quiet month as I slowed down for Christmas, New Year, and my birthday — I turned 40 and welcomed a whole new decade of my life. I had a lovely, relaxing holiday in Germany with my family, which was exactly what I needed. I hope you all had a wonderful festive season too and got lots of books. I certainly did — lucky girl! I must have been good again last year. I also received a laptop stand and a phone stand, which will really help with writing and managing my social media for my author career.

I didn’t work much on Whispers Of The Welsh Valley or A Forbidden Romance, but while I was away, I did manage to do some writing.

My poetry collection, Heartfelt Poems To Inspire, has been my main focus. I’ve been working hard on editing the poems, preparing them for formatting and layout. There’s still lots to do — ISBNs, formatting, layout, and getting everything ready for my author copy so I can check it all before publication in February 2026. I can’t wait to share this collection with you. These poems come straight from my heart and soul; some are personal, and some are born from imagination.

I have big plans for 2026, and I still can’t believe that this year I will be a published author. There’s still so much to do to get ready for publication, so this month will be busy but exciting.

Progress on the poetry collection is going well. I’m editing the poems, back cover, and dedication to make sure everything feels right before moving into layout and adding the ISBN to both the paperback and e‑book versions. I’ve also been researching printers and distributors and have chosen Book Vault for all my books. They distribute worldwide and offer things I’d like to explore in the future. I’ve also been thinking about merchandise — I have lots of ideas for later on.

I’ve been coming up with new ideas for my novels too, and once the poetry collection is almost ready for publication, I’m excited to get back to writing them. Sophia and Logan, Min and Carlie, Tae and Hallie, Flo and Marcus — they’re all waiting for their stories to continue, but they’ll have to wait just a little longer.

I have so many ideas for future books as well. They never stop — usually arriving at the worst possible moment when I have nothing to write them down with. I always think, “I’ll remember,” and of course… I never do. Well, hardly ever.

I’m also working on a BTS fan fiction that I plan to give to them, so I won’t be making it public. I hope to finish it soon and send it to their management, hoping they receive it before their world tour and enjoy it. I’ve been a fan since last year and wanted to write something just for them. I’ve also written a couple of poems for them, which will be included in my poetry collection as a little appreciation.

February 2026

What a month this has been! Chaotic in the best way, emotional, exciting, and yes — testing at times too. But it’s also LAUNCH MONTH, which still feels surreal to say.

What I’ve Been Reading

I finished When Worlds Collide by Kate Alexander and the ending absolutely floored me. It was emotional, beautifully written, and so well‑researched — especially the K‑Pop industry and Korean culture. I adored the characters and can’t wait for the next book.

My next reads are Me and Mr Darcy by Alexandra Potter and Book Boyfriend by Lucy Vine. I’m really looking forward to diving into both.

Author Copies & Launch Prep

My author copies have been coming and going with tweaks and adjustments, but I finally received one that was absolutely perfect. Then came the big moment — ordering and receiving 200 copies of my book for the launch on the 27th February. It was exciting, mind‑blowing, and overwhelming in the best possible way. They’re all checked and ready for launch day.

Admin, Organisation & Behind the Scenes

There has been so much admin behind the scenes — printing invoices, organising paper files, updating spreadsheets… two years’ worth of work is no joke! But I’m finally up to date and ready for HMRC and the new tax year.

I’ve also designed new invoices for both bulk and individual orders, which feels very official.

Social Media & Email List

I’ve increased my social media presence ready for launch, and I’ve created a brand‑new welcome email for anyone who signs up to my mailing list. Lots of exciting things will be shared there first.

Website Launch

I’ve also been working on my website, which officially launches on the 26th February, the day before the book release. I’m so proud of how it’s turned out — please check it out when it goes live.

Becoming a Published Author

I am scared, excited, nervous, and proud all at once because…
I am now a PUBLISHED AUTHOR.

I can’t wait for you to hold this book in your hands. Two years of hard work, sleepless nights, blood, sweat, tears, stress, and worry — all worth it. I couldn’t be prouder of what I’ve created, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed bringing it to life.

BTS Fan Fiction Update

I’ve been thinking about what to send to BTS, but after checking the rules, I realised my story is romance — which isn’t allowed. I would never want to make them or their team uncomfortable or cross any boundaries. They’re human beings, and boundaries matter, no matter who you are — actor, singer, model, or anyone in the public eye.

It made me sad, of course, but as a creative I understand. Respect comes first, always. I’ve always been that kind of fan, and I always will be (even if I have to check myself sometimes — and sometimes the people close to me do too).

Merchandise

I’m excited to share that I also have merchandise coming for my Heartfelt Poems To Inspire collection. Bookmarks are on the way and will be sold alongside the books on my website.

Where to Buy

The only place to buy my books and merch will be directly from my website. I thought long and hard about this, and it’s the right choice for me. It keeps everything in my control, allows me to offer signed copies, boxsets, and little extras if I choose to. Postage and packing will be added on top of the book or merch price.

Publishing Name

Another big update — I am publishing under Christina James Press, writing as Christina James Author.

That’s February!

I think that’s everything for this month. I’ll see you in March’s blog post.

Check out my website, sign up to my email list (exclusives and first news go there), and follow me on socials to stay up to date.

Thank you so much for all the support. I love you all and appreciate you.

March 2026  Romance HQ Update

This month has been a little quieter at Romance HQ, with life and illness getting in the way, but there are some lovely updates to share.

The biggest milestone is that it’s now been one whole month since I became a published author. I want to thank everyone who has bought my poetry book — your support means the world. Sales are slowly growing, and every single one brings me so much joy.

I’ve also been reaching out to local bookshops and Tourist Information Centres to see if they’d like to stock my book. I’m thrilled to say that Leominster Tourist Information Centre has agreed to take copies on a sale‑or‑return basis, so do pop in and have a look. I’m still waiting to hear back from the local bookshop, so fingers crossed.

Reviews

If you’ve read my poetry book, I would love it if you could leave a review. Reviews make such a difference for independent authors — they help new readers discover my work and support the growth of Christina James Press. Whether it’s a few words or a longer message, every review means the world to me.

Sharing Your Reviews

If you’re happy for your review to be shared on my website or social media, please feel free to email me or send me a message to let me know. I always appreciate your support and love being able to highlight your kind words.

Website

My website is now officially live: christinajamesauthor.co.uk

Here you’ll find:

information about my books

my writing blog

updates

and my shop

It’s also the only place where you can buy my books and merchandise. I’ve updated it this month to include worldwide shipping, and I’m fully stocked with packaging materials and ready for orders.

Merchandise

Merch is now available alongside my book. At the moment, bookmarks are the first item in the shop, but I have lots of ideas for future merchandise. Each book will eventually have its own themed items, so keep an eye out for new releases.

Business Cards

 I now have my official Christina James Press business cards, ready for events, festivals, and anyone who wants to connect with my work. They match my author branding and will be available at all future events — including the Leominster Festival in June.

Admin

I’ve been working hard behind the scenes on all the admin for my current book. I now have a full system in place for:

books

merchandise

invoices

tax‑year organisation

This new setup is going to make everything so much easier going forward. I’ve designed my own invoices, kept everything filed, updated spreadsheets, and prepared all the paperwork I need.

I’ve also been promoting my poetry book, updating the website, and keeping on top of the general admin that comes with running Christina James Press.

Current & Future Projects

I’m finally able to get back to my three works‑in‑progress. I haven’t written much this month and I’ve missed it terribly, so April will be my return to writing.

My focus going forward will be:

Whispers of the Welsh Valley

A Forbidden Romance

Royalty in Dreamland

Once they’re written, I’ll share release dates — though these are still a long way off.

I also now have series names for both my K‑pop series and my Whispers series. As always, new ideas keep arriving, and I’m excited to see where they take me.

Fanfiction Update

For those following my fanfiction projects, I’m putting them on hold for now. With the current circumstances around what we can and can’t send, I want to take some time to think things through properly. With the BTS boys heading out on their world tour this coming week, it feels like the right moment to pause, reflect, and make sure I’m handling everything respectfully and safely.

The fanfics aren’t cancelled — just resting for a little while. Once things settle and I’ve had time to consider the best way forward, I’ll share more updates.

Exciting News

I’m delighted to announce that I’ll have a stall at the Leominster Festival Family Fun Day on 13th June. I’ll be selling my poetry book and bookmarks, and I’d love for you to come and say hello. There may even be a few surprises and activities for you to enjoy.

Thank You

I can’t express how much your support and interest in my books means to me. I have so many plans for this year and beyond, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Until next month — keep reading, keep dreaming, and stay tuned for more romance and magic.