The "Messy Middle"
And why I'm currently embracing the chaos!
Hello, lovely readers,
I hope your June is off to a wonderful start! Here in Texas, the summer heat has officially arrived, and life at our house has shifted into “high gear.”
If you’ve noticed I’ve been a bit quieter than usual, it’s because we are in the middle of a wonderful, whirlwind week of church summer camps! I’ve been spending my days driving a team of fantastic student leaders to one of the various “Backyard Bible Clubs” hosted by families throughout the city, with my two daughters (in 8th and 3rd grade) tagging along as participants. Meanwhile, my son (5th grade) is over at the church enjoying the “Xtreme Adventure” camp.
It is a super busy, tiring, and joyful week. There is something truly amazing about watching God at work in the hearts of these kids as they hear the Gospel shared by our student leaders—it’s a beautiful reminder of what really matters, even amidst the hustle of carpools and snacks.
In the midst of this busy week, I’m also navigating the “messy middle” of writing Clashing With the Caterer. If you’ve ever written a story, you know exactly what I mean: it’s the point where the characters have moved past the initial sparks and now have to face the real hurdles—and their own flaws. It’s been a week of early mornings and limited writing time, but I’m finding that embracing the chaos (both in my house and in my manuscript) is actually helping the story grow.
I’m curious—when you’re reading a rom-com, which part of the journey do you love most?
The “Meet-Cute” Butterflies: That initial spark, the witty banter, and the “will-they-won’t-they” excitement at the start.
The “Messy Middle”: When things go wrong, the characters are forced to be vulnerable, and they finally start to learn what they really need.
The “Happily Ever After”: The satisfying wrap-up where all the pieces fall into place.
I’m biased toward the messy middle because that’s where the best growth happens (and where the funniest arguments usually take place!), but I’d love to know where your heart lies as a reader.
Hit reply and let me know—what is your favorite part of a love story?
I’m off to finish the carpool route, but I’m looking forward to diving back into my notes once the weekend hits. Wish me luck with the word count!
Happy Reading,
Amanda Kai
Romance Book Sale!
My Audiobooks
Summer is here! ☀️😎Read on the go with these audiobooks performed by your favorite narrators, Harry Frost and Stevie Zimmerman 😘🎧
Backyard Bible Clubs! What a great idea. I’m stealing it to give to my church for summer youth groups. My favorite part of the story is all of it..but I’d vote messy middle (as long as it isn’t too angsty) because, let’s face it’ that’s the main part of the book. It’s where the growth happens, where they can display vulnerability, poignancy, sweetness or evil depending on the character.