Success Stories: Congratulations to Britni Allen on publishing her book!
- Michelle Hazen
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
1. Congratulations on becoming a published author!! Can you tell us a little about The Paradise Pact?
Thank you! I’m beyond excited to finally have this story out there in the world. The Paradise Pact follows childhood enemies Wes and Addie, who fake a relationship on their annual family vacation as a last-ditch effort to put an end to their moms’ relentless matchmaking schemes. It’s a fun, banter-filled romantic comedy. Think The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren meets the movie Anyone But You.
As a huge fan of ’90s and 2000’s rom-coms, I knew I wanted to write something with that same feel, especially with how heavy things have been in the world over recent years. My goal was to write a story that was funny and leaves readers with the feel-good, satisfied, warm feeling I get at the end of my favorite rom-com.
2. That's such a great pitch! If I didn't already know I loved this book, that would have hooked me.
I get a lot of questions from clients trying to decide whether book coaching or an edit on the completed manuscript is the most helpful. Since we did a bit of both on this book, I thought I'd ask you! What do you think of book coaching vs editing?
I had very few major development edits that needed to be made by the time I reached the editing stage, and I know that’s because of the planning and coaching we did together.
My natural instinct is actually to be a pantser, but I personally think I saved myself a lot of time by making sure I knew where the story was headed before I started writing.
The feedback from book coaching was invaluable.
It gave me confidence during the inevitable “this completely sucks” phase that all writers experience. It was helpful to have someone who knows what they’re talking about reassure me that it didn’t actually suck. It was a first draft, and I needed to keep going. I loved having input line by line as I went, too.
Editing, on the other hand, is a totally different experience since you don’t get that feedback until the end. I think my revisions would have been much more extensive if I hadn’t started with coaching.
For people who have the option, I would absolutely recommend both services!
3. To be honest, even in your first draft, the humor and heart of your book shone through and I knew you had something special. I was thrilled to see this book launch, and what a cover!
How has your experience with indie publishing been?
I’m also completely in love with the cover! I did query a few agents before I decided to self-publish, but I’d been working towards this goal for so long, I ultimately just wanted to get the story out there. I also knew the timeline with traditional publishing would be much longer.
Going in, I understood indie publishing would be more of a financial investment because I had to pay for my own cover, editing, etc. I also knew there was a strong chance my book would get lost on Amazon, given the number of books published every day.
What has surprised me, though, is how quickly that happened and how time-consuming the marketing is. I now see exactly how valuable the marketing and support provided by traditional publishing is. Looking back, there are several things I could have done to help myself before publishing, such as sending ARCs, starting my author Instagram earlier, advertising my upcoming release, etc.
4. What's the best thing you've done for yourself, through this whole writing and publishing process?
Although we like to think we don’t, everyone judges a book by its cover. I had a specific image in mind, and I’m SO happy I didn’t skimp on the cover. It was pricey, but it’s the first impression of the book, and I think it was worth it. Commissioned character art would have been fun, too!
5. What’s your top tip for other authors?
It’s honestly hard to just pick one because I learned so much from this experience. This book took me a long time to write, and I put a lot of pressure on myself. I had this dream of finishing it, quitting my 9-5, and supporting my family as a full-time author. I quickly realized that although that is the way things work for some, the publishing world is too unpredictable to plan around, and although I believe in dreaming big, my writing improved when I let go of those expectations.
Ultimately, write because you love it and have a story to tell, not because you want it to be a career. If it becomes one, consider that a bonus.
I’d also like to add that there are so many amazing books out there, and so many mind-blowingly talented authors, it’s easy to compare your work to theirs. No one’s first draft compares to novels that have been through multiple rounds of editing, which can be hard to remember. Comparison really is the killer of joy.
Britni Allen grew up in a rural area in central New York, where she spent much of her time devouring books. Her love for writing began in elementary school when she would write stories and read them aloud to an audience of stuffed animals on her back porch.
Britni now resides in coastal North Carolina with her husband, daughter, two cats, and two dogs. When she’s not swooning over fictional couples, Britni can be found spending time with her family or rewatching her favorite shows, Gilmore Girls and Friends.
Follow Britni Allen:
From grooming her client’s dog to driving across town in the middle of the night to fix her Nana’s remote, professional organizer Addison Monroe will do anything to keep the people in her life happy. Anything, that is, except date her long-time nemesis, Westin Lamont, despite their moms’ never-ending parade of ridiculous attempts.
Wes wants nothing to do with relationships after sacrificing his dream of joining the Coast Guard for his ex-fiancée, only to discover she was cheating. Now, he’s determined to leave Oakview behind and land one of the search and rescue positions he’s applied for across the country.
But the moment Wes is single again, their moms dive back into matchmaking, convinced that if Wes and Addie would try, they’d realize they’re meant for each other. When the latest scheme involves a romantic dinner setup, a stolen car, and trekking miles in the snow, Addie and Wes decide enough is enough.
Fed up, they make a pact: fake a relationship on the annual family vacation to St. Thomas, then stage a breakup that will put an end to their moms’ scheming for good. But paradise has a way of messing with their plans. The more time they spend together, the more they start to think maybe their moms were right all along.
When Wes receives a job offer 1,200 miles away, Addie must decide whether her chemistry with Wes is worth leaving behind her family and stable life she’s built for herself, and Wes must decide if he’s willing to give up another career opportunity for a chance at love.
"If you are looking for a mix of comedy and romance this is the perfect book for you. This is the type of book that keeps you up past your bedtime reading!" - TADS, Amazon reviewer
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