I listened to one song only while writing this book - Taylor Swift's "All Too Well" (10-minute Sad Girl Autumn Version, for my fellow Swifties). I discovered it the first day of our trip and instantly fell in love. It was heartbreakingly gorgeous; I became a Swiftie overnight. This song played on repeat for hours every day while I wrote. Its aching beauty is engraved onto every page of Love on Hold. My eternal thanks to Taylor for the inspiration!

Beaufort has a lovely waterfront park that was just down the street from our rental house. I often set up shop on one of the big swings that line the long stretch of park overlooking Beaufort's saltwater river. Writing with the January lowcountry breeze in my hair was a perfect way to spend the day. (Side note: my parents came to visit for a week; that's my dad in this picture!)

I had a great time researching all the elements needed to set a book in New York. From Yvonne's ultra-fancy car (a Mercedes-Maybach) to just the right neighborhood (Manhattan's NoMad, where Marin's proudly smutty publisher Velicity Books is headquartered, is also home to the Museum of Sex), sneaking in some tributes to one of my favorite cities was a blast!

Lyle Michaud, Marin's godfather and her dad's literary agent, completely stole his two scenes in the book. I modeled Lyle on the effervescent Leslie Jordan, who passed away later that year in October 2022. From the first word out of Lyle's mouth, I heard nothing but Leslie's voice. Leslie always signed off with "Love, Light, Leslie," and that's exactly what he helped me bring to the character of Lyle. Thank you, Leslie. You are missed.

Marin's grandmother's vintage Juliet cap veil plays a special role in the story. While I couldn't find one with the little blue beaded dove I envisioned, this one from UK-based brand Agnes Hart is a good representation of what I had in mind. Isn't it beautiful?! And it's handmade - just perfect for Marin's love on vintage items with a storied history.