“Kind Heart,” Interviews, and Evolution – February 2024 Wrap
February was such a fun month full of music and author memories. From releasing “Kind Heart” to doing interviews, I’m excited to share this month’s highlights.
The Hear Me Out Chapter Begins With “Kind Heart”
I’m beyond delighted “Kind Heart,” the lead single off Hear Me Out, is finally yours. This is one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written, and kicking off my new chapter by releasing this song on February 29, Leap Day, was so fitting.
You can listen to “Kind Heart” on all download and streaming platforms, and the main ones can be found here.
On Hear Me Out, I’m being more open than I’ve ever been in my music. I’ve reached a point where I feel confident embracing fearless honesty. “Kind Heart” is your first piece of the Hear Me Out story, and I truly hope you love it as much as I do.
Recording Piano for “Kind Heart” in the Studio
Since I love sharing videos from the studio, I filmed myself while I recorded piano for “Kind Heart.” After doing a few takes, I played the song perfectly. I’m so glad I captured this because now, you get to experience the moment when I brought the piano for “Kind Heart” to life.
A “Kind Heart” Feature
Every time a new release rolls around, I look forward to the press coverage. I’m delighted to share a wonderful “Kind Heart” feature that put a smile on my face.
Ahead of the song’s release, Music City Memo published a fabulous article on their website. They covered my inspiration for writing the song and details for what my Butterflies can expect on the album as a whole. I love this feature so much, and you can read it here.
I’m so grateful for all the support “Kind Heart” has received so far. Along with this feature, the song has aired on radio shows already. I couldn’t have written a more perfect song to kick off my Hear Me Out Chapter. This makes me beyond excited for what’s to come.
Chart Placements on Radio TFSC
February brought two chart placements on Radio TFSC’s Top 24. I swear, seeing my music chart on radio stations will always be the coolest.
First, “Four Leaf Clover” landed in the number seven spot. This blew my mind. I released this song as the closing entry of my Dear Diary chapter, so it means the world it’s still receiving love nearly two years later.
Second, before its official release, “Kind Heart” charted at number eighteen. I sent Oli the mp3 and gave him permission to air the song early. Still, I never expected it to chart so soon. When I found out it did, I definitely freaked out in the best way.
Radio TFSC has played my music for several years now, and I’m so grateful for the support I’ve received from Oli and the listeners. I’m excited to see how “Kind Heart” and my other songs continue to do on the chart. Most of all, I’m looking forward to sharing more music with Oli soon.
Producing and Co-Hosting Be Mine on Heart of Indie Radio
For the Valentine’s Day celebrations, I got to produce and co-host Be Mine, Heart of Indie’s Valentine’s Special which aired on the Memphis Show. I had so much fun picking lots of love songs and having fun conversations with Eddie during the station breaks.
You can listen to Be Mine on MixCloud. Huge thank you to the Heart of Indie Radio team for continuing to give me opportunities to produce and co-host shows. This one was the first of many planned for the year.
My Interview on the What Makes You Famous Show
In February, I had the honor of being interviewed on What Makes You Famous, a highly entertaining show hosted by KeysDAN. I’ve done so many interviews, and I can honestly say this one was one of the most fun. We chatted about music, podcasts, my author adventure, and more. I had a total blast on the show and can’t thank KeysDAN enough for having me.
The audio version can be heard on all the podcast platforms. Here is my interview on Spotify.
Also, the video version is on YouTube. I hope you enjoy this one.
My Interview on Our Mind On Music
On “Kind Heart” release day, my interview on Our Mind On Music dropped. This is another new favorite. I truly enjoyed chatting with Jeremy about my songwriting journey, classical music background, “Kind Heart” and the other Hear Me Out singles, my experiences as a podcaster, and so much more.
Definitely watch this interview on YouTube. Along with the fabulous conversation, Jeremy included several clips from my songs, studio vlogs, and other content that fit seamlessly. It’s clear he dedicated a lot of time to editing this video, and I can’t thank him enough for having me on the show. I hope to return for another conversation in the future.
My Interview on the Rooting For U Pod
Shifting into author land, February brought a fabulous opportunity for me to be a guest on the Rooting For U Pod to chat about my time in the query trenches. I had the best time sharing my journey with Peace and Elle. From talking about my unique querying process to how I approach cutting words from a manuscript and more, this unfolded into nearly an hour of sharing experiences, insights, and advice.
My interview on the show can be heard on all the major podcast platforms. Here’s the link to Spotify.
I can’t thank Peace and Elle enough for having me on the Rooting For U Pod. After doing so many music interviews, it’s surreal getting the chance to appear on publishing podcasts now. I’m looking forward to being a guest on more shows in the future, and I hope I’ll get the chance to return to Rooting For U as well.
My Little Red Reimagining Has Transformed
This month, I did two more revisions for my Little Red reimagining based on outstanding suggestions I received from interns at my literary agency. Every time I return to this story, I fall in love with it all over again. Out of all the edits I’ve made, the ones I applied in February truly transformed the story. Revision is a magical part of the writing process. From my first draft of this story to now, I’ve kept my vision while adding so much more depth and nuance. In some ways, the book hasn’t changed, but in others, it has evolved beyond my wildest dreams.
I also changed the title of the manuscript. After tossing around a bunch of ideas, I settled on one that’s symbolic and captures the story in such a fresh and enchanting way. I’m so glad my agent loves it, too. This story has seriously come so far since I drafted it in November of 2022, and I’ve enjoyed every step of the journey.
With these revisions behind me, I’m finally getting closer to going on submission. My agent will read the book again and see if there are any last tweaks. Then, it’ll start hitting editors’ inboxes. I’m both excited and nervous for this next chapter of my author adventure, but most of all, I’m dreaming of the day this story finds its publishing home.
A Short Story Realization
In January, I wrote two short stories I absolutely love. My goal was to draft another one this month, and I spent a lot of time plotting my idea. Even though I was excited about this story, the words didn’t flow naturally when I sat down to draft it. This experience made me realize something important.
I love my idea, but this isn’t the right time to write the story.
Realizing this lifted a massive weight off my shoulders. All my notes are saved in my files, so down the road, I can return to them when the time is right.
I was going to submit this story for an anthology in March. One of the stories I wrote in January is for this submission call, too. Originally, I wanted to submit both stories to give myself two chances of being accepted. Then, I realized the other story is so much stronger. Instead of trying to force a second one, I’m going to dedicate my time to polishing the first one as much as possible before submitting it. Also, since this anthology is for fairy tale reimaginings, there will always be others looking for these kinds of stories. So, the one I started writing in February can definitely be revisited for another submission call in the future.
As I’ve gotten deeper into creative writing, I’ve noticed how some story ideas seem to write themselves while others don’t work out. Returning to my craft often has allowed me to explore many concepts and commit to the ones that are the most promising. As a songwriter, I have the same experience. I have to get through songs that aren’t resonating to reach the special gems. Embracing this reality as an author too has been very freeing.
On that note, February was a month of evolution for me. From working on my manuscripts to kicking off my Hear Me Out chapter with “Kind Heart,” I’ve experienced transformation in many ways.
I already know March is going to be golden. I’ll finally get to unveil my editorial services and publishing podcast. Also, I have more music interviews on the calendar. With two months of 2024 behind me, I’m feeling so grateful and can’t wait to embrace the adventures and opportunities waiting for me in March.