You have around 2 to 3 billion seconds on this planet.
That’s a lot.
You're a time billionaire.
But most people never make the most of it.
So if you've been waiting to write that book?
Or publish the one that's been sitting in a Google doc since 2018?
This summer is your time!
Let me tell you about my friend
She’s a licensed therapist.
She’s 51.
She runs a very successful private practice in Florida.
And up until recently, she had zero platform.
No social media.
No email list.
No marketing background.
She got countless rejections telling her:
“(…) you don't have a platform. You just don't have enough of anything. (…) I like your writing.
I like the book, but you don't have what we need in modern times to get a nonfiction contract.”
But she had a story.
And a voice. She kept going.
To really get it, you need to know what came before….
💔 Colette’s Divorce Triggered Everything
Colette was the first in her community to get divorced from her cheating husband. It shook her whole identity.
But instead of staying silent, she turned that moment into a new mission:
To help people express their needs, use their voice, and build a real emotional connection.
She became a therapist in Florida.
She rebuilt her life.
And eventually… she found love again.
Twelve years later, she’s married to Steve, living proof that a messy middle can still lead to a powerful second act.
Colette Got A Book Deal With A Top 5 Publisher With 51
Colette is about to publish her debut book, The Cost of Quiet, with Penguin Random House.
And it all started with a forgotten journal entry from 2018.
She shared with us that it said:
“This is the year I’m going to write my book.”
Spoiler: She didn’t write it that year. Or the year after.
But in 2023, she picked it up again.
“(…) somehow that just clicked that I didn't feel ready, but that I had been making excuses.
And I also decided that in our modern world, I wasn't going to let all the publishing gatekeeping stop me.
I was going to write and publish my book, whether I self-published, got a publisher.
I didn't care.
This was about sharing something helpful and sharing my voice with the world in the hopes of helping people.
Guess what happened next?
She got rejected over and over again.
She found an agent.
She wrote a 120-page proposal herself (after crying almost every day).
And in the end, she won a bidding war between three major publishers.
She chose the one editor who felt most human.
“I liked her because she seemed like a warm and human person,” she shared in our masterclass.
And now her book is coming out in early 2026 with Penguin Random House.
I love the new cover design already:
In the pre-launch runway phase, Colette did another amazing thing…thanks to manifestation, she gave a TEDx talk (although she got rejected 6x, even by her Alma Mater).
But…
Her TEDx Moment Didn’t Go As Planned
Colette practiced her talk for months.
She memorized every line.
She even hired an acting coach.
On the big day?
The mic didn’t work
The slide clicker was broken
A volunteer started clicking through the slides out of order
Her heart was racing. She felt like crying. She panicked inside.
But you know what she did?
She kept going.
“I got to just ignore the slides and give my talk. And I found my center again.
I gave the talk. But I have to say, when I got off stage, I walked out of the room and I burst into tears as soon as I was alone.
I felt like it was ruined. I felt like it was a disaster.”
She stood on that TEDx stage… and not long after, TED shared her talk with 42 million people. Just 0.07% ever get that honor.
“This talk is so personal to me— it’s about what I wish every person knew about relationships before it’s too late.”
Why Am I sharing This Masterclass Today?
Because I know many of you are thinking about your books this year. Some inside the Online Writing Club are already writing (and publishing).
Like
, who found a hybrid publisher.Or
, who self-published Happy Habits and is now an Amazon bestseller. (Bought the book today!)
And like Colette, who started with a journal entry and a decision to try, these are your people. Learn from the ones who’ve gone before you.
Inside our monthly Online Writing Club LIVE masterclass, Colette shared:
How she pitched her nonfiction book with zero followers
Why rejection was a painful but necessary part of the process
What to do when things go wrong on TEDx stage
Why Substack is the platform she’s now building on
🥁 The Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp Coming This Summer
You asked for it—and it’s coming back! 🎯
The Substack Notes Kickstarter Bootcamp is happening this summer, and this time:
✅ Built together with WOW-worthy alumni
✅ Featuring top collab partners from the leaderboard
✅ Step-by-step help to grow your audience with Notes
✅ Templates, checklists, post ideas, and customized feedback
✅ 3-day Bootcamp + surprise workshops + fun extras
And yes—there will alo be a Substack Kickstarter Bootcamp for Authors!
with a bestselling Amazon author, a professional book coach, and an editor
to help you get your idea out of your head and onto the page.
If you’re a paid subscriber interested in the Bootcamp/s, hit reply or send me a DM!
Your Turn
You have around 2 to 3 billion seconds on this planet.
That’s a lot.
You're a time billionaire.
So if you've been waiting to write that book? Or publish the one that's been sitting in a Google doc?
This summer is your time.
Let’s go!
P.S. If you loved this masterclass and post and think someone needs to read this, please share 🔁 it with your community, friends, colleagues, and family, as this means A LOT to me as a part-time mompreneur. It also helps Colette to be seen! 🔁
P.P.S. Every 🧡 or comment you share is like saying, "Hey, this mattered. Keep going." It means more than you know. Thank you.🧡
