Rylee asked Penelope Douglas:

Since you have so many successful books, do you ever feel hesitant or feel pressure when starting something new?

Penelope Douglas Hey, Rylee! Great question. I think the time you write with the most freedom is with your first book. Especially for indie authors lol, because no one coaches us on what it will be like and how to process what readers might say. After your first book, you'll then anticipate the feedback and it can lead to a feeling of dread. Certainly.

Birthday Girl is a good example of this. Pike was older than my usual heroes, blue collar, responsible...he had a temper at times, but for the most part, he was a good man. Some readers were thrown for a curve, because it wasn't what they expected from me, given my previous work, while others were happy, because they doubted if I *could* write a hero like Pike and they were pleasantly surprised. Through experience, I've learned very simply that if I love the book, good things will happen. If I don't love it, it's time to stop and save us all the trouble ;)

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