From Book One to Book Two: The Emotional Whiplash

December 16, 2025

Featured Guest:
Susan Poole

Susan Poole is a women’s fiction author, lawyer, and nonprofit professional whose path to publication was built on persistence, self-doubt, and a whole lot of grit. After years of writing, revising, and facing rejection, she published her debut novel *Out of the Crash* with The Wild Rose Press, earning recognition including the Women’s Fiction Writers Association Rising Star Award. Her work is deeply rooted in exploring the emotional complexity of real life—particularly the gray areas where right and wrong aren’t so easily defined.
A lifelong storyteller, Susan writes to make sense of the human experience—digging into life’s unexpected turns, relationships, and the moments that force us to reevaluate everything. Her journey reflects the same themes she writes about: resilience, growth, and the belief that hard work and perseverance can eventually lead to something meaningful.

What happens after you finish your first book… and realize you’re not actually done?

In this episode, we sit down with Susan Poole to talk about the emotional whiplash of moving from book one to book two. From querying and revisions to marketing and starting something new, we unpack the reality of juggling multiple “eras” of your writing life at once. There’s the book you finished years ago, the one you’re promoting now, and the next one calling your attention—and none of them neatly stay in their lane.

We also dive into the mental side of this transition: knowing when a book is truly “done,” resisting the urge to endlessly tweak, and navigating the pressure to keep producing. Whether you’re in the query trenches, post-debut, or somewhere in between, this conversation is a real look at what it takes to keep going—and how to find your footing in the chaos.

In This Episode

What it actually feels like to go from book one to book two
Knowing when your book is truly “done” (or if it ever is)
The long timeline from finishing a book to publication
Querying while starting a new project
The emotional pull between past, present, and future projects
Marketing one book while writing another
Revisiting old manuscripts vs starting something new
The pressure to publish consistently (and quickly)
Letting go of perfectionism and endless revisions
Imposter syndrome—even after getting published
Finding your author “brand” and through-line across projects
Starting a new book: where to begin (hint: not always Chapter 1)
Why asking “what’s the point?” can change your entire process
The difference between drafting and editing (and how to stop doing both at once)

About the Book

Out of the Crash

Out of the Crash is a dual-POV women’s fiction novel that begins with a life-altering bicycle accident—but quickly becomes something much deeper. As the story unfolds, the crash itself fades into the background, revealing a layered exploration of what happens when life is suddenly disrupted and everything you thought was stable is thrown into question.

Through themes of grief, second chances, and the complexity of human relationships, the novel asks a central question: what do you do after the crash? Whether it’s loss, betrayal, or an unexpected turning point, Susan Poole explores how we rebuild, reassess, and ultimately redefine our lives in the aftermath.

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