{"id":6186,"date":"2026-01-02T06:06:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T06:06:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/18\/write-of-passage-hawking-a-book-when-everything-hurts\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T06:06:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T06:06:18","slug":"write-of-passage-hawking-a-book-when-everything-hurts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/02\/write-of-passage-hawking-a-book-when-everything-hurts\/","title":{"rendered":"Write of Passage: Hawking a Book When Everything Hurts"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-6186-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/api.substack.com\/feed\/podcast\/159314190\/dcdef0a560da2fcf3984d9ba50f86269.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/api.substack.com\/feed\/podcast\/159314190\/dcdef0a560da2fcf3984d9ba50f86269.mp3\">https:\/\/api.substack.com\/feed\/podcast\/159314190\/dcdef0a560da2fcf3984d9ba50f86269.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n<p>Sometimes, there are words and events designed to provoke, to get under your skin, to upset the balance of your peace. Over time, I have learned that I can\u2019t react to everything. There\u2019s just too much noise. But some things are too important to ignore.<\/p><div id=\"vanes-3426989801\" class=\"vanes-content vanes-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 2px;margin-right: 2px;margin-bottom: 2px;margin-left: 2px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/fireswordandsea.htm\" aria-label=\"Fire Sword &amp; Sea\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?fit=1706%2C2560&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Fire Sword &amp; Sea\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?w=1706&ssl=1 1706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C1536&ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?resize=1365%2C2048&ssl=1 1365w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/FireSwordSea_HC-scaled.jpg?w=1280&ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" width=\"569\" height=\"853\"   \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p>Right now, libraries are under threat. Institutions we\u2019ve funded to preserve history, like Arlington National Cemetery, are erasing lesson plans that once provided a comprehensive view of our past. If you\u2019re searching for biographies of heroic Americans who happen to be Black, who happen to be a woman or Spanish or Latin, they are no longer easily accessible. The only thing they haven\u2019t done is dig up the graves. And honestly, I wouldn\u2019t put it past them. Nothing seems too indecent or radical anymore. If you\u2019re willing to close libraries or hinder children\u2019s ability to learn about the sacrifices made to build this country, there\u2019s no travesty or crime you won\u2019t justify.<\/p>\n<p><p>Keep reading Vanessa Riley&#8217;s Write of Passage! This post is public so feel free to share it.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, natural disasters rage across the country. Fires burn on both coasts, tornadoes tear through communities, and people are in pain. Leadership feels absent, leaving many confused and struggling to make sense of it all. And if you\u2019re an author in the midst of this chaos, you\u2019re still expected to go out there and promote your book.<\/p>\n<p>Writers and artists often struggle with feeling that their work is inconsequential, that it can wait. But if the pandemic taught us anything, it\u2019s that time is a gift, and there are no guarantees that we\u2019ll see the next moment. The work we do now matters.<\/p>\n<p>If you follow me on social media, you know I strive to keep my posts positive. I share stories that uplift fellow authors and women\u2019s initiatives. I find joy in the simple things, like Megan Sussex gathering us all in a virtual group chat to bake cakes in beautiful pots or arrange flowers on our tables. I\u2019ve seen people take that extra moment to make meals special, to nourish themselves, to create beauty in the everyday. And let me be clear\u2014this kind of joy is a form of resistance. We should never stop embracing it.<\/p>\n<p>But let\u2019s get back to booking. Why is it that artists are expected to hold back from promoting their work in times of crisis? If a professional chef were asked to stop baking because wildfires were raging, we\u2019d find it absurd. If a police officer were told to abandon their duty because of book bans, we\u2019d question the logic. Yet authors are often made to feel guilty for marketing their work when the world is in turmoil.<\/p>\n<p>I wish my job were just writing. But it\u2019s not. Writing is only one piece. There\u2019s also editing, revising, and\u2014perhaps the most exhausting part\u2014letting people know that my book exists. I wish I had an assistant to do it all. I wish we lived in the old days when publishers handled marketing, but that world no longer exists. Today, agents and editors look at an author\u2019s social media presence as part of the package. That doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t get a contract without it, but having a strong online presence certainly helps. And maintaining that presence requires effort.<\/p>\n<p>I gravitate toward the social media spaces that bring me joy. I\u2019m active in many places because I have to be, not necessarily because I want to be. I use Facebook for recipe discussions, Instagram for visuals, and I pop into other platforms when necessary. Ideally, marketing wouldn\u2019t be my primary strategy, but here we are.<\/p>\n<p>For those struggling with promotion in the midst of chaos, know this: talking about your book is part of your job. Empathy and support for others are important, but so is your book. If you are traditionally published, sales determine future contracts. And sales won\u2019t happen if people don\u2019t know your book exists. Publishers won\u2019t consider external factors when evaluating your performance. It\u2019s on you to ensure your book gets noticed.<\/p>\n<p>Even when the world is on fire, you have created something meaningful. You\u2019ve brought characters to life, and they deserve to exist in the imaginations of readers. But that won\u2019t happen if you don\u2019t speak up. Your book, the product of months or even years of labor, deserves to be shared with the world.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve said it before on this podcast: <em>We write, we win.<\/em> Your words matter. They might feel small in the grand scheme of things, but they provide escape and joy to readers. Someone out there needs the story you\u2019ve crafted. But they won\u2019t find it if you don\u2019t tell them about it.<\/p>\n<p>So, take a deep breath, lift your head, and shout from the rooftops: <em>I have a book coming out!<\/em> And speaking of books, I\u2019m Vanessa Riley, and my next novel, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bookpeople.com\/book\/9781420154863\">A Wager at Midnight<\/a>, the second book in the <em>Betting Against the Duke<\/em> series, is on its way. In this book, you\u2019ll meet Scarlet, a bold young woman who dreams of studying medicine at a time when it is forbidden for women. She can\u2019t even attend a lecture unless she disguises herself as a man. But Scarlet is determined, and she may just find an unexpected ally in a brilliant, slightly uptight physician from Trinidad who happens to love Jane Austen and cassava pone.<\/p>\n<p>See what I did there? I told you about my book, even though the world is in chaos. I poured my heart into writing this story. I\u2019ve included detailed historical notes for those who want to learn more. I hope <em>A Wager at Midnight<\/em> encourages readers to think deeper about sickle cell anemia, the importance of medical care, and, of course, the magic of falling in love\u2014even when the world feels like it\u2019s unraveling.<\/p>\n<p>Authors and all artists, hear me. Let your art see daylight. Scream from the mountaintops. Walk on water shouting, <em>Look what my hands have wrought with the talent given to me for a time such as this.<\/em> Never be the servant who buried his talent in the ground because he was afraid of loss, of looking foolish, or of incurring some greater wrath. You are here. Now is the time. You&#8217;ve completed a project. Stand tall in your accomplishments and let the world know. Don&#8217;t bury your talent in the ground. Don&#8217;t waste a moment waiting for a better time. There is nothing better than now, for you don\u2019t know who desperately needs to hear or see what you\u2019ve done\u2014to help them with their healing journey, to take the next step in their creative walk. Your words could be the fuel to propel them forward. What you do in creating changes the world to tilt a little more toward good.<\/p>\n<p>And if you\u2019re feeling stuck or unsure how to promote your own book, here\u2019s a list of books that can help you step up your marketing game:<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/book-marketing-is-dead-book-promotion-secrets-you-must-know-before-you-publish-derek-murphy\/7037443?ean=9780984655120&#038;next=t\"><em>Book Marketing is Dead: Book Promotion Secrets You Must Know BEFORE You Publish<\/em><\/a><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/book-marketing-is-dead-book-promotion-secrets-you-must-know-before-you-publish-derek-murphy\/7037443?ean=9780984655120&#038;next=t\"> <\/a>by Derek Murphy \u2013 This book challenges traditional book marketing strategies and offers modern, data-driven approaches to help authors effectively reach their audience.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/platform-get-noticed-in-a-noisy-world-michael-hyatt\/17852157?ean=9781400238033&#038;next=t\"><em>Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World<\/em><\/a> by Michael Hyatt \u2013 A guide to building a strong personal brand and online presence, showing authors how to stand out and attract readers in an oversaturated market.<\/p>\n<p>For those wrestling with self-doubt, check out:<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/sister-citizen-shame-stereotypes-and-black-women-in-america-melissa-v-harris-perry\/16615640?ean=9780300188189&#038;next=t\"><em>Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America<\/em><\/a><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/sister-citizen-shame-stereotypes-and-black-women-in-america-melissa-v-harris-perry\/16615640?ean=9780300188189&#038;next=t\"> <\/a>by Melissa V. Harris-Perry \u2013 This book dives into how external forces like stereotypes and societal pressures impact a woman\u2019s self-perception.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/black-boy-richard-wright\/8953357?ean=9780061443084&#038;next=t\"><em>Black Boy<\/em><\/a><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/black-boy-richard-wright\/8953357?ean=9780061443084&#038;next=t\"> <\/a>by Richard Wright \u2013 A powerful memoir that can inspire writers to confront the harsh realities of life, self-doubt, and the struggle for personal truth and purpose. Wright\u2019s story will resonate with anyone feeling like their work or life doesn&#8217;t matter.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/the-midnight-disease-the-drive-to-write-writer-s-block-and-the-creative-brain-alice-weaver-flaherty\/11852243?ean=9780618485413&#038;next=t\"><em>The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer&#8217;s Block, and the Creative Brain<\/em><\/a><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/the-midnight-disease-the-drive-to-write-writer-s-block-and-the-creative-brain-alice-weaver-flaherty\/11852243?ean=9780618485413&#038;next=t\"><strong> <\/strong><\/a>by Alice W. Flaherty \u2013 A deep dive into the neuroscience behind creativity, writer&#8217;s block, and the emotional struggles writers face.<\/p>\n<p>And what you\u2019ve been blessed to do as a writer or artist is to create. So, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bookpeople.com\/book\/9781420154863\"><em>A Wager at Midnight<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>\u2013 full of laughs, it\u2019s a celebration of community told in a historical setting. Buy my book, she says proudly. As an artist, your book deserves to be seen, and your work deserves to be celebrated, even if the world\u2019s burning.<\/p>\n<p>Show notes include a list of the books mentioned in this broadcast. This week, I&#8217;m highlighting <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bookpeople.com\/\">BookPeople<\/a> through <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/shop\/bookpeople\">Bookshop.org<\/a>. You can find my notes on Substack or on my website, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vanessariley.com\/\">VanessaRiley.com<\/a> under the podcast link in the About tab.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thank you for listening. Hopefully, you\u2019ll come again. This is Vanessa Riley.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Show Notes:<\/p>\n<p>Flaherty, A. W. (2004). <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/the-midnight-disease-the-drive-to-write-writer-s-block-and-the-creative-brain-alice-weaver-flaherty\/11852243?ean=9780618485413&#038;next=t\"><em>The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer&#8217;s Block, and the Creative Brain<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em> Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.<\/p>\n<p>Harris-Perry, M. V. (2011). <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/sister-citizen-shame-stereotypes-and-black-women-in-america-melissa-v-harris-perry\/16615640?ean=9780300188189&#038;next=t\"><em>Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women<\/em><\/a><em> in America.<\/em> Yale University Press.<\/p>\n<p>Hyatt, M. (2019). <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/platform-get-noticed-in-a-noisy-world-michael-hyatt\/17852157?ean=9781400238033&#038;next=t\"><em>Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em> Thomas Nelson.<\/p>\n<p>Murphy, D. (2014). <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/book-marketing-is-dead-book-promotion-secrets-you-must-know-before-you-publish-derek-murphy\/7037443?ean=9780984655120&#038;next=t\"><em>Book Marketing is Dead: Book Promotion Secrets You Must Know BEFORE You Publish<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em> Kindle Direct Publishing.<\/p>\n<p>Riley, V. (2025). <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bookpeople.com\/book\/9781420154863\"><em>A Wager at Midnight<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em> Kensington.<\/p>\n<p>Wright, R. (2004). <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/p\/books\/black-boy-richard-wright\/8953357?ean=9780061443084&#038;next=t\"><em>Black Boy<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em> Harper Perennial Modern Classics.<\/p>\n<p>This is a public episode. If you&#8217;d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/vanessariley.substack.com\/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#038;utm_campaign=CTA_2\">vanessariley.substack.com\/subscribe<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"rop\"><small>Originally posted 2025-03-18 13:10:00. <\/small><\/p><div id=\"vanes-340819767\" class=\"vanes-after-content vanes-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-top: 3px;margin-right: 3px;margin-bottom: 3px;margin-left: 3px;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?fit=1080%2C1350&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Listen to the Write of Passage Weekly Podcast\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=240%2C300&ssl=1 240w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=819%2C1024&ssl=1 819w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/SubstackAd.png?resize=768%2C960&ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" width=\"540\" height=\"675\"   \/><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes, there are words and events designed to provoke, to get under your skin, to upset the balance of your peace. Over time, I have learned that I can\u2019t react to everything. There\u2019s just too much noise. But some things are too important to ignore. Right now, libraries are under threat. Institutions we\u2019ve funded to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6216,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[81,793,9,620,756,694],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-personal-stories","category-politics","category-recommended-reading","category-syndication","category-technology","category-tv-and-film"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cc35cd0cb00cc2421ee0535798ba091b-scaled.jpg?fit=1920%2C2560&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6186"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6186\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vanessariley.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}