Jessi Raye's Blog

If you had asked me a few years ago where this journey would lead, I don't think I could have imagined this moment.

What started with a dream to write a story has slowly transformed into something much bigger than a single book. It's become a place where stories don't end on the final page—they become something you can wear, light, hold, and experience.

Today, I'm celebrating three milestones that have been years in the making.

## ⭐ ARC Copies of *When the Stars Go Out* Are Officially Here

One year after *To Fear the Stars* found its first readers, Book Two is finally making its way into the hands of ARC readers.

*When the Stars Go Out* is everything I hoped it would become—more emotional, more suspenseful, darker, and filled with twists that even my beta readers didn't see coming.

This book pushed me as a writer. There were chapters that made me cry, scenes that made me question my own characters, and moments that reminded me exactly why I started writing in the first place.

Now it's your turn to experience it.

To every ARC reader who volunteered to read early and help spread the word—thank you. You're becoming part of this story before the rest of the world, and that means more than you'll ever know.

## 🧼 The Return of Starlight Soapery

Some dreams never really disappear.

Years ago, Starlight Soapery began with a simple idea: create handcrafted soaps and candles that made everyday life feel a little more magical.

Life got busy. Books happened. Priorities shifted.

But I never stopped loving the creativity behind making soaps and candles.

Instead of leaving Starlight Soapery behind, I decided to bring it back—with a whole new purpose.

Now every collection is inspired by the stories I write and the readers who love them.

Imagine reading your favorite chapter while burning a candle inspired by the characters... or opening a package that smells like your fictional book boyfriend.

That's exactly what we're creating.

From **Book Boyfriend** to **Plot Twist**, **Sweet & Unhinged**, and many more collections to come, every scent is designed to bring readers deeper into the worlds I create.

Because stories deserve more than words.

They deserve an experience.

## ✨ Welcome to Under the Same Stars

This is the part that makes me smile the most.

For a long time I felt like I had too many passions.

Author.

Soap maker.

Candle creator.

Graphic designer.

Book merchandise designer.

Social media creator.

I kept wondering if I should pick just one.

Instead, I decided to stop separating them.

**Under the Same Stars** is where every one of those passions comes together.

It's more than a brand.

It's a universe for readers.

A place where books meet handcrafted soaps and candles.

Where your favorite fictional worlds become cozy merchandise.

Where readers become a community.

Whether you discover me through a novel, a candle, a hoodie, or a hilarious TikTok, you're stepping into the same world.

Everything is connected.

Everything lives...

**Under the Same Stars.**

## 🌙 What's Coming Next

This is only the beginning.

Over the coming months you'll see new book-inspired soaps, candles, apparel, accessories, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, author events, and plenty of surprises as Book Two approaches its October 1 release.

If you've been here since the very beginning, thank you for believing in this dream.

If you're just finding me, welcome.

I'm so glad you're here.

No matter how you found this little corner of the internet, I hope you'll stay awhile.

Because this isn't just about selling books or making soap.

It's about creating a place where readers feel at home.

Where every story leaves a little stardust behind.

And no matter where life takes us...

We'll always be **Under the Same Stars.**

Hi friends,

I have a special invitation for you.

As many of you know, To Fear The Stars was my debut novel, and because of your support, reviews, messages, and encouragement, the Starlight Series has continued to grow in ways I never imagined.

Now, I'm preparing for the release of Book 2, When the Stars Go Out, and I'm looking for a team of ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) readers.

If you've ever wanted a chance to read my books before release day, this is it.

ARC readers receive a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Your review doesn't have to be positive—it just has to be honest. Reviews help indie authors more than you know, and they make a huge difference when launching a new book.

I'm currently looking for readers who would like to:

✨ Read To Fear The Stars if you haven't yet
✨ Read When the Stars Go Out before release day
✨ Leave an honest review on Amazon and/or Goodreads
✨ Help spread the word about the Starlight Series

If you love:
💫 Emotional romances
💫 Small-town drama
💫 Love triangles
💫 Romantic suspense
💫 Characters who make questionable life choices
💫 Stories that keep you up way past your bedtime

...then I'd love to have you on the team.

If you're interested, please fill out the ARC application below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA...

Thank you for supporting my writing journey. Whether you've been here since chapter one or just discovered my books recently, I'm grateful you're here.

I can't wait for you to see what happens next.

With love,

Jessi Raye

P.S. If you finished To Fear The Stars and are still recovering from that ending... Book 2 has been waiting for you.

If you've been following my author journey, first of all—thank you. Whether you've read To Fear The Stars, joined my book club, or simply cheered me on from social media, I'm grateful you're here.

But there's one place where I share everything first: my newsletter.

My subscribers get a front-row seat to all the behind-the-scenes moments that don't always make it to social media.

Here are five things newsletter subscribers hear before everyone else:

✨ Cover reveals

Subscribers were the first to see the cover of When the Stars Go Out before it was shared publicly.

✨ Book updates

From first drafts to beta reader feedback, I share the highs, lows, and exciting milestones as they happen.

✨ Exclusive sneak peeks

Subscribers often get early looks at upcoming projects, character insights, and behind-the-scenes content from the Starlight Series.

✨ Book club news

Each month, I share our latest book club pick, reading discussions, and favorite recommendations.

✨ A personal note from me

My newsletter isn't just book news. It's a chance for me to connect with readers, share what's happening in my writing life, and thank the people who make this dream possible.

If you'd like to follow along as When the Stars Go Out gets closer to release, I'd love to have you join us.

After all, the best stories are even better when shared beneath the same stars. ✨

There should honestly be a support group for authors finishing a second book.

Not because writing the book is hard.
No.
It’s everything after the writing that slowly turns you into a sleep-deprived raccoon digging through emotional garbage at 2 a.m.

For example: naming the book.

You’d think after writing an entire novel, the title would magically appear in the stars like some dramatic movie moment.

Wrong.

Instead, I now have approximately 487 title ideas floating around in my notes app. Half sound poetic. Half sound like either a country song or a criminal investigation documentary.

I’ve stared at the same three words for so long that language no longer feels real.

At this point, I could name the book:

Screaming Internally
Emotionally Unwell Under the Stars
Please Send Help

…and honestly? They all fit.

Then comes editing.

Which is just reading your own book over and over until you begin questioning if you even know how words work anymore.

I have reread this novel so many times that I can now spot a typo from across the room like some kind of traumatized hawk.

Missing comma? Found it.
Extra space? Prison immediately.
A character breathing twice in one paragraph? Absolutely not.

The problem is that after the 50th reread, your brain starts autocorrecting mistakes on its own.

So now I’m sitting there like:
“Did I actually write their instead of there… or am I hallucinating again?”

Nobody knows.

Not even me.

And now we enter my favorite phase:
Waiting on beta reader feedback.

Or as I personally call it:
✨ emotional warfare ✨

Because logically, I know beta readers are wonderful human beings helping make the book stronger.

Emotionally?
I am refreshing my email every seven minutes like a Victorian woman waiting for war correspondence.

The second a notification goes off, my entire nervous system activates.

Did they love it?
Did they cry?
Did they throw the book across the room?
Did Ben traumatize them?
Are they Team Drew?
Do I need to disappear into the woods permanently?

Again. Nobody knows.

So if you need me, I’ll be:

rereading Chapter 12 for the 93rd time,
debating titles like my life depends on it,
and pretending I’m mentally stable while waiting for beta reader reviews.

You know.
Author things.

There’s a very specific level of delusion required to think, “You know what would be fun? Writing a second book while launching the first one and working full time.”

Hi. It’s me. I have that level of delusion.

6:00 AM — “I’m Going to Be Productive Today”

I wake up with the confidence of a woman who has absolutely no idea what her day is about to do to her.

Coffee in hand, I open my laptop, determined to write a life-changing chapter of Book Two.

I write… three sentences.

One of them is just:

“She stared at him.”

Groundbreaking. Pulitzer incoming.

8:00 AM — Full-Time Job Mode Activated

I clock in, transforming into a responsible adult who uses phrases like:

“Let’s circle back.”
“Per my last email.”
“Please see attached.”

Meanwhile, my brain is like:

Okay but what if Ben is currently hiding something in a floorboard and we should definitely explore that instead?

I’m nodding in meetings while mentally plotting fictional crimes.
Very normal. Very professional.

12:00 PM — Lunch Break = Marketing Panic

Instead of eating like a normal human, I open TikTok.

I tell myself:

“Just one quick video to promote Book One.”

Three hours later, I’ve:

Filmed 7 takes of the same clip
Forgotten how to blink naturally
Questioned every life choice I’ve ever made

Caption idea #1:

“When you accidentally fall in love with the wrong man…”

Caption idea #2:

“He’s not toxic, he’s ✨misunderstood✨”

Caption idea #3 (unhinged):

“This man would ruin your life but like… respectfully.”

I post it and immediately refresh the app like my sanity depends on it.

3:00 PM — Existential Crisis (Scheduled Daily)

Sales? Unknown.
Algorithm? Personal enemy.
Motivation? Hanging on by a thread.

I whisper to myself:

“Maybe I should just… disappear and raise goats.”

But then I remember:
I have a whole second book to emotionally destroy people with.

So I stay.

6:00 PM — “Time to Write Again”

I sit down, determined. Focused. Ready.

I open my manuscript…

…and immediately get distracted by:

Googling “how to market a book without losing your mind”
Rewatching my own TikTok 14 times
Staring into space thinking about fictional men who have more red flags than a crime scene
8:00 PM — The Writing Finally Happens

Out of nowhere… it hits.

The scene. The tension. The chaos.

I’m typing like my life depends on it.
Plot twists? Flying.
Emotions? Wrecked.
Characters? Making terrible decisions.

And I’m just sitting there like:

“Yes. This is it. This is why I do this.”

Also me five minutes later:

“Why are they like this? I created them. This is my fault.”

11:00 PM — Delusional Confidence Returns

I close my laptop, fully convinced:

Book Two is going to be incredible
Book One is going to take off any second now
I absolutely have my life together

I do not.

Final Thoughts (From a Slightly Unhinged Author)

Writing Book Two while marketing Book One and working full time is basically:

10% writing
40% marketing
50% questioning everything

But also?

It’s building something out of nothing.
It’s chasing a dream after a long day.
It’s believing—maybe a little irrationally—that your story is worth telling.

And honestly…

I wouldn’t trade it.

…ask me again tomorrow, though.

If you’ve read my book, you might assume I have a beautifully organized mind where every character arc is carefully planned, every secret revealed at the perfect moment, and every emotional scene written with graceful intention.

That is… extremely flattering.

But also wildly inaccurate.

The truth is, writing a book sometimes looks a lot like standing in the kitchen at midnight eating shredded cheese out of the bag while whispering, “What if this character made the worst possible decision right now?”

Most of my story ideas come from that exact question.

Because let’s be honest—perfect characters are boring. The real magic happens when people make messy choices. The kind of choices that make you want to yell at the page.

You know the ones.

The “Girl, do NOT trust him.”
The “Please stop lying to everyone.”
The “You are absolutely about to ruin your own life.”

Those are my favorite moments to write.

In my book, the characters are constantly navigating secrets, love, loyalty, and the complicated reality that sometimes the people we trust the most might also be the ones capable of hurting us the deepest. It’s emotional, a little dark at times, and definitely full of moments where you might want to shake someone.

(Trust me. I’ve wanted to shake them too.)

But that’s what makes stories feel real. Life isn’t neat and predictable. Love isn’t either.

Sometimes it’s beautiful.
Sometimes it’s messy.
Sometimes it’s both at the exact same time.

And honestly? That’s where the best stories live.

So if you ever find yourself yelling at one of my characters while reading, just know two things:

You’re not alone.

I probably yelled at them first.

Thanks for reading, supporting indie authors, and stepping into this wild little world with me.

— Jessi Raye ✨