The Beginning of Back in the Rain
Back in the Rain was my first book, originally written in 2016 and published in February 2018. It’s a dark story, heavily influenced by my passion for anime and manga, written before I had any knowledge of the publishing world. While I always believed in the story’s value, I have to admit that the first edition was too raw to be published. I was young and inexperienced, and I put out a book that, in hindsight, was not up to the standards it deserved.
Expanding the Series
After acknowledging the issues with Back in the Rain, and upon diving into the self-publishing world, I wrote books two and three in the series: A Five-Minute Kiss and The Road Home.
With A Five-Minute Kiss, I explored the YA genre and the novella format, initially writing it at around 25k words. The Road Home was my attempt to balance the romance with the dark themes I had introduced in Back in the Rain. These books were a step forward in my writing journey, and the series as a whole remained raw, intense, and full of heart—yet misaligned in terms of genre and cohesion.
Stepping Away—But Not Letting Go
Despite my love for the Back in the Rain series, I found it difficult to market due to its complexity. In 2020, I decided to shift my focus to my Italian Romance series, which fit neatly into a clear genre, aesthetic, and set of themes. However, Back in the Rain never truly left me. It remained in the back of my mind, accompanied by the thought: This could be so much better.
The Rewrite: A New Beginning
Fast forward to the end of 2023—after severe social media burnout and personal struggles (more about it here), I found myself unable to write anything new. That’s when I turned back to Back in the Rain. Over the course of 2024, I completely rewrote and re-edited the book from scratch, culminating in the release of the third edition in November 2024.
This new edition features:
- Complete Rewrite: A refined narrative with deeper emotional impact.
- Expanded Character Development: Drew’s sexuality is explored with greater clarity.
- Enhanced Relationships: Nuanced changes in the dynamics between Andrew, Drew, and Dan.
- New Cover Design: A visual that truly reflects the heart and tone of the story.
- Dedication & Acknowledgments: Honoring the journey and the people who made it possible.
- Chapter Titles: Adding thematic depth to each chapter.
Looking Forward: The Future of the Series
With Back in the Rain now something I’m proud to market as a dark MM romance, I’m excited to announce major changes to the next two books in the series:
- A Five-Minute Kiss has been rewritten into a full-length novel titled Into the Black. This book still includes Liam’s story from the original novella but now features an entirely new section from Dan’s POV, aligning it more closely with the tone and genre of Back in the Rain.
- The Road Home will also be rewritten and retitled as Beyond the Dark. This novel will be slightly expanded while maintaining its place in the dark romance genre.
This journey has been long, challenging, and deeply rewarding. I can’t wait to share these new versions of the Back in the Rain series with you all. Stay tuned for more updates!