It’s crunch week, and the final edits for The Gatekeeper’s Portal are officially underway! Between bouts of stress-fueled insomnia and marathon editing sessions at Panera (complete with my favorite cozy fireplace spot), I’m in full-on deadline mode as I prepare to send the manuscript to my editor on November 1st.

One of my favorite behind-the-scenes moments this week was spending an entire day editing at Panera Bread. No distractions, cozy vibes, delicious food, and my favorite seat by the fire...