The Author Next Door

What does it take to turn a writing career into a thriving author business? Sometimes it starts with a little crime scene tape and a willingness to talk to strangers.
Former Milwaukee police sergeant and returning guest Patrick O'Donnell joins Angela and Cassie to share his journey from writing crime thrillers to publishing true stories from his 25 years in law enforcement. But Patrick isn't just writing books. He's finding creative ways to sell them, building relationships with local businesses, and turning everyday conversations into opportunities to connect with readers.
From book signings at coffee shops and community events to media appearances, podcast promotion, and early preorders, Patrick shares the strategies that have worked for him and what he's learned when things didn't go as planned.
In this episode, they discuss:
Writing true police stories versus fictional crime thrillers
Finding unconventional places to sell books
Creating displays that attract potential readers
How to pitch your book in 15 seconds
Building relationships with bookstores, businesses, and local media
Learning from unsuccessful book signings
Using preorders, back matter, and podcasts to support book launches
The advantages of collaborating with other authors
🚔 Connect with Patrick O'Donnell and the Cops and Writers Podcast:
https://copsandwriters.com/
📚 Buy the book! 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GSLDPD55
🎙️ More about The Author Next Door:
https://theauthornextdoor.com/
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What happens when the book you're supposed to be writing isn't the book your creativity wants you to write?
Romantic fantasy author Alycia E. Anderson joins Angela and Cassie to talk about balancing romance and fantasy, navigating reader expectations, building immersive worlds without overwhelming readers, and knowing when a manuscript is finally ready to leave your hands.
Alycia also shares how getting stuck on one book led her to write an entirely different novel and why that creative detour ultimately gave her the energy to return to her original series with fresh eyes.

In this episode, they discuss:
• The difference between romantic fantasy and romantasy
• Marketing books that don't fit neatly into one category
• Why creative detours aren't always procrastination
• How to know when a manuscript is actually finished
• Creating slow-burn romance with enough yearning and payoff
• Building fantasy worlds without info dumps
• Why creative writing deserves to be treated like an art form

Connect with Alycia E. Anderson:
📚 https://linktr.ee/authoralyciaeanderson
📸 https://www.instagram.com/alyciaeanderson_author/

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https://theauthornextdoor.com/

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What makes a romance dark? Is it the spice level, the themes, the characters—or how far an author is willing to take the reader emotionally?
In this episode of The Author Next Door, Angela Haas and Cassie Newell talk with dark romance author Kelly R. Nelson about writing emotionally intense stories, handling difficult themes, and finding the balance between darkness, vulnerability, romance, and healing.
Kelly shares how she approaches the spectrum of dark romance, researches perspectives outside her own, and learned to rethink her stance on trigger warnings after talking directly with readers. But the conversation goes beyond craft. Kelly is also navigating that familiar sophomore-author question: I wrote the books…now how do I get people to read them?
From bookstore signings and hand-selling to social media, author branding, and simply being willing to try something before you know whether it will work, Kelly shares what she's learning while building her indie author career.
In this episode, they discuss:
What makes a romance "dark"
Balancing heavy themes, spice, vulnerability, and healing
Writing intimate scenes from different character perspectives
Trigger warnings and reader expectations in dark romance
Finding your readers instead of trying to reach everyone
Why Kelly has found success selling books in person
Treating your author career like a small business
Why sometimes you have to stop preparing and just try the thing
Learn more about Kelly R. Nelson:
https://www.kellyrnelsonstoryteller.com/
🎙️ Learn more about the show:
https://theauthornextdoor.com/
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What happens when romantic attraction collides with the need to stay in control? And how do you make the moment a character finally gives in feel earned?
In this episode of The Author Next Door After Dark, Angela Haas and Cassie Newell compare Dirty Dancing and The Idea of You to explore how romantic tension, societal expectations, and personal vulnerability influence the way love stories unfold.
From age gaps and social judgment to the emotional and physical breaking points that define a romance, they examine how these two films approach desire, restraint, and personal growth. They also discuss an essential romance-writing question: What happens when a story tells the audience there's romantic tension but doesn't quite make them feel it?
In this episode, they discuss:
How control and restraint create romantic tension
The different approaches to romance in Dirty Dancing and The Idea of You
How age gaps and societal judgment influence romantic decisions
Why emotional vulnerability matters to romantic payoff
Using show, don't tell to make readers feel the longing
🎙️ Learn more about the show:
https://theauthornextdoor.com/
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What makes a side character memorable without letting them take over the entire story?
In this episode of The Author Next Door, Angela Haas and Cassie Newell dig into the craft of writing supporting characters who feel like real people instead of background furniture.
They explore why side characters need their own voices, motivations, and lives beyond the protagonist, while also serving a clear purpose within the larger story. The conversation covers how supporting characters can deepen themes, reveal different sides of the protagonist, strengthen world-building, and sometimes grow into characters readers want to follow into another book.
In this episode, they discuss:
What makes a side character feel memorable
Why supporting characters need independent goals
How side characters can reveal new sides of the protagonist
When a supporting character is becoming too important
Why distinctive names, voices, and traits matter
How side characters strengthen world-building
Maintaining character consistency across a series
🎙️ Learn more about the show:
https://theauthornextdoor.com/
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