Emma Rodriguez's Blog
May 1, 2025
Day Three- post two
Wow. It's officially been 3 days since my debut, Beneath the Willow Tree, was released. I can't believe my words are out there right now.
Now let's be realistic here. I haven't sold a thousand copies. I'm not an overnight success. I think I've made $40? I'll be the first to admit that there are moments when I'm sad about this, but then I remember that there are so few authors who get successful that quickly, if any. Being an author is hard work, especially as an indie author who has to not only sell my books, but sell myself in order to build an audience that sticks around.
Speaking of audience that sticks around, that's where most of my early sales have come from: my amazing audience that has been supporting me throughout this entire self-publishing journey... I have a feeling they'll stick around for a while. You should, too! I have so many plans for the future and so many stories to tell. Take a look at my debut and give it a shot if it sounds like something you'd enjoy. I'm forever grateful to anyone who gives a little ol' indie author a shot.Beneath the Willow TreeEmma Rodriguez
Now let's be realistic here. I haven't sold a thousand copies. I'm not an overnight success. I think I've made $40? I'll be the first to admit that there are moments when I'm sad about this, but then I remember that there are so few authors who get successful that quickly, if any. Being an author is hard work, especially as an indie author who has to not only sell my books, but sell myself in order to build an audience that sticks around.
Speaking of audience that sticks around, that's where most of my early sales have come from: my amazing audience that has been supporting me throughout this entire self-publishing journey... I have a feeling they'll stick around for a while. You should, too! I have so many plans for the future and so many stories to tell. Take a look at my debut and give it a shot if it sounds like something you'd enjoy. I'm forever grateful to anyone who gives a little ol' indie author a shot.Beneath the Willow TreeEmma Rodriguez
April 12, 2025
Where to start
I have been contemplating writing a blog about life as a soon-to-be and then currently indie-published author but I haven't known where to start. It's kind of daunting, putting my thoughts into words without the facade of a character to cover up the intricacy of my mind. That being said, there is nothing I want more than to be able to build a community not just around my books, but around people who have come together to celebrate and reminisce on the aspects of my stories that make them touching and relatable.
Because this blog is going to be about both my books and my life as an author, I thought I'd start out with an introduction.
Hi, my name is Emma Rodriguez. At the time of writing this, I'm 23 years old, and living in my native state of Florida. I'm married to my high school sweetheart and I'm the mother to many 4-legged (and one no-legged) babies. Outside of reading and writing, I'm an avid animal rights activist, an environmental activist, a disability rights activist, a trained musician (piano and voice), and a lover of all things film and theatre.
I started writing at a very young age when I realized I wasn't very good at expressing my emotions with my voice... so I wrote them. From then my love of all things literature was born and I spent most of my adolescent free time either wandering the woods surrounding my house or with my face in a book. Sometimes both. My first book, Beneath the Willow Tree, was a project I started writing in 2021 after I officially decided that I wanted to be a writer and leave the life of 9-5's behind. Beneath the Willow Tree started out as a Rom-com called And Then There Were Two, but after months of writer's block, I realized that, as much as I love a good Rom-Com, I have too much inherited melancholia to write in the genre.
Becoming the author I needed was a lot of hard work and I'd be lying if I said there were no tears shed and no times where I wanted to give up. But with my debut release just around the corner, I'm happy that I stuck around.
With all that being said, save Beneath the Willow Tree. I know I'm biased, but I can't fight the feeling that Amelia and Mason's story is one that will change lives... it definitely changed mine.
Beneath the Willow Tree
Because this blog is going to be about both my books and my life as an author, I thought I'd start out with an introduction.
Hi, my name is Emma Rodriguez. At the time of writing this, I'm 23 years old, and living in my native state of Florida. I'm married to my high school sweetheart and I'm the mother to many 4-legged (and one no-legged) babies. Outside of reading and writing, I'm an avid animal rights activist, an environmental activist, a disability rights activist, a trained musician (piano and voice), and a lover of all things film and theatre.
I started writing at a very young age when I realized I wasn't very good at expressing my emotions with my voice... so I wrote them. From then my love of all things literature was born and I spent most of my adolescent free time either wandering the woods surrounding my house or with my face in a book. Sometimes both. My first book, Beneath the Willow Tree, was a project I started writing in 2021 after I officially decided that I wanted to be a writer and leave the life of 9-5's behind. Beneath the Willow Tree started out as a Rom-com called And Then There Were Two, but after months of writer's block, I realized that, as much as I love a good Rom-Com, I have too much inherited melancholia to write in the genre.
Becoming the author I needed was a lot of hard work and I'd be lying if I said there were no tears shed and no times where I wanted to give up. But with my debut release just around the corner, I'm happy that I stuck around.
With all that being said, save Beneath the Willow Tree. I know I'm biased, but I can't fight the feeling that Amelia and Mason's story is one that will change lives... it definitely changed mine.
Beneath the Willow Tree
