iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 23h

What I learned from a free BookBub promo on a series book: Your rating may dip with a broader audience. Some love it. Some don’t. Some hate an unresolved ending. Fair enough. Most standalones resolve neatly at the end, but with a series, a cliffhanger ending is the point. #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 29/09/2026

Wrote 2,227 words today and hit 64K on my #WIP. I’ve been averaging about 1,400–2k or more words a day. Started Aug 1st. Some writers move faster, but considering how much life stress I’ve been dealing with, I feel good about this pace. Two more days in this month to see how far I get. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 27/09/2026

Writing the book isn’t always the hardest part. If you’re trying to query agents or reach a bigger publisher, sometimes it’s everything that comes after. Rejection is scary, but you can’t let fear stop you from putting the work out there and trying. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 27/09/2026

Weekend warrior time. Hit 60K on my WIP tonight. Started August 1st, and it feels damn good. I wasn’t sure I had it in me to write a standalone between books in my series because I was feeling pretty burnt out, but somehow, the story came together. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 26/09/2026

I’ve had some down days lately, but writing a dark, offbeat character in my crime thriller has been an unexpected bright spot. There’s something freeing about finding humor in dark places. Stephen King does it so well. Sometimes dark comedy makes the darkness hit even harder. #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 25/09/2026

Using your life experiences and channeling them into your work can be incredibly powerful. The pain. The betrayal. The fears. The trauma. Finding a way to put those experiences on the page and turn them into something meaningful. There’s no better cathartic experience than that. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 24/09/2026

Despite a really stressful week, I still wrote 1,892 words today, bringing me to 54K in my #WIP. Those are the days you should feel the proudest. Not the easy days when everything is going great, but the hard weeks when life kicks your ass and you still sit down and write. #AuthorSky #LifeSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 22/09/2026

I’m dealing with an incredibly stressful situation involving my daughter’s safety. Bullying in youth sports is REAL & I will NOT put up with it. Period. Being a parent means sometimes you have to be the loudest voice in the room for your child. I will always be that voice. #ParentSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 21/09/2026

Last week was rough, but somehow I still managed to write 12,017 words in 6 days. I’m hoping to carry that momentum into this week, though it’s been hard to focus with my daughter recovering from a concussion after a soccer incident. Some weeks, you just do what you can. #AuthorSky #ParentSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 21/09/2026

Finally spoke teammate’s mom who heard the girl who assaulted my daughter say, “I did it on purpose cause I knew she was going to score.” The assault during a soccer game left my daughter with a concussion. Waiting for police to call back to complete my report. I’m pressing charges. #ParentSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 20/09/2026

My daughter is 11. A player head butted then kicked her in the head during soccer today & was bragging she did it on purpose. Now she’s in the ER being evaluated for a possible concussion. It’s awful seeing kids learn to be nasty so young. Filed a complaint with the league. I’m furious. #ParentSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 19/09/2026

My 11 yr old drew this on a napkin while we were eating breakfast at a restaurant. She did it in 5 minutes, just sitting at the table. She’s been taking art classes for years. The painting on right she did in class. Love watching how naturally art comes to her. She’s so talented. #ArtSky #Art

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 19/09/2026

Some writing days surprise you. I wrote from morning until about 1 a.m yesterday and finished 2 chapters, close to 6k words yesterday. That’s not a normal word count for me, but when the characters are leading, I’ve learned not to fight it. Sleep is patient. A story on a roll is not. 😅 #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 17/09/2026

Have you ever fallen in love with your villain? I do it all the time. The best villains are the ones you understand, even when you hate what they do. Sometimes villains have the most powerful arcs because the distance between who they were and who they become is the greatest. #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 16/09/2026

Have you ever had someone hate-follow your author career? 2x the same account has waited until my books hit #1 during a free promo, then dropped a 1-star review to lower my rating. Didn't read it. Thought they’d leave me alone. Nope. They did it 2x & to 54+ other thriller authors. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 15/09/2026

Have you ever been a multi-genre reader but discovered there’s one genre you just cannot get into, no matter how many times you try? Unpopular opinion: for me, it’s YA. The last YA I loved was The Book Thief. Ever since, I’ve tried, but nothing has clicked. What genre is that for you? #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 15/09/2026

There’s no better feeling than being completely in the zone, when the words just keep coming and you don’t want to stop. Wrote 3k words today, a full chapter, and hit 42K in my #WIP. When the words are flowing, trust them. Let the characters lead and follow them wherever they go. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 13/09/2026

Writers, what’s the longest it’s taken you to finish a novel, and the fastest? I started my new standalone August 1 and I’m at about 38K, aiming for roughly 85K. Curious how everyone’s pace changes from book to book. Sometimes I think writing too fast creates more work during edits. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 12/09/2026

A day late posting this because Fresno’s 9/11 Memorial was so packed yesterday. I still can’t believe it’s been 25 years. My husband and I remember exactly where we were, and I had family in NYC serving as police officers at the time. Some things you simply #NeverForget. 🇺🇸 #September11

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 11/09/2026

I feel for people who feel stuck in toxic and abusive situations, personal or professional. It doesn’t have to be some dramatic, battered story to be damaging. Walking away takes guts, but putting yourself first matters. This isn’t a video game. You don’t get multiple lives. #HealthSky #LifeSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 11/09/2026

Been a while since I’ve been engrossed in a book. What I LOVE about Afterlife by Marcus Sakey is its unique blend of FBI detective work + supernatural elements. It’s refreshing to read a story with an original spin. And now it’s being made into a movie. I can absolutely see why. #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 09/09/2026

Loving yourself means learning to put yourself first. We give so much to everyone else. Your health, your peace, your boundaries, your well-being. YOU have to matter in your own life, too. Choosing yourself means protecting the space, energy, and peace you need to write. #AuthorSky #HealthSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 08/09/2026

I was never really into snake jewelry, but ever since writing my Serpent Series, I’ve become oddly fond of anything that reminds me of the books. Found this stainless steel snake ring at Bass Lake over Labor Day weekend and, obviously, it had to come home with me. 🖤 #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 07/09/2026

I spotted some classic typewriters in antique shops & they made me think about how differently writers once worked. No luxury of endless revisions. A mistake, a change, even a better idea could mean retyping an entire page. The tools may change, but the need to tell stories doesn’t. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 06/09/2026

The Serpent’s Order (Book 4) is an assassin thriller with a romance B story & like 1 normal sex scene. A reader gave it 5 stars but could’ve done without the profanity & “erotica.” I don’t think they’ve ever read erotica. This isn’t even close. 😂 But I’ll take the 5 stars. #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 05/09/2026

At Bass Lake today. My husband and kids jumped in the water. I stayed on the boat with my laptop, writing of course. 😂 We all work so hard. Downtime is part of self-care. Rest matters. Don’t let work or life burn you out. Take the time to rest before life forces you to. #AuthorSky #LaborDayWeekend

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 05/09/2026

Hit 30k in my #WIP. Spending time with my family at Bass Lake. We don't realize just how precious mental space is for creativity & how valuable it is for our well-being. For me, Labor Day reminds me of how vital it is to put ourselves above anything including a job. #AuthorSky #LifeSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 04/09/2026

My family of 4 is paying $1,866/month CASH for health insurance in California, with a $17,400 family deductible through Covered California. That’s $22K+ a year before the deductible. It’s INSANE. Healthcare shouldn’t financially punish people for needing coverage. #HealthSky #HealthCare

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 04/09/2026

One thing helping me avoid series burnout is stepping away between books when I can. I’m 5 books into an 8-book series, so I took a break to work on a standalone instead. Started August 1st and I’m already 30K in. Sometimes a different story is exactly what the brain needs. #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 03/09/2026

Writers know environment shapes character. Put a good person in a corrosive environment long enough & it contaminates them. Watched it happen in a toxic workplace. Sometimes character development in real life means knowing when to leave a poisonous job before it changes you too. #AuthorSky #JobSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 02/09/2026

Authors must protect their creative space. Sometimes that means cutting toxic situations, manipulation & being taken advantage of out of your life. Since I did, I’ve had room to create again & wrote 3,030 words, a full chapter. Creativity can’t thrive when your mind is busy surviving. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 01/09/2026

Some readers want stripped-down Cormac McCarthy. Others love Jack London’s dense, sensory atmosphere. Write too slow, it drags. Write too fast, it’s extreme. Describe too much, you’re overwritten. Strip it down, you’re too sparse. Someone will always complain. Write your way. #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 31/08/2026

Being a writer has completely changed the way I read. Half of me is enjoying the story. The other half is quietly studying how the author pulled it off. Every book you read can teach you something about the writer you want to become. #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 30/08/2026

My favorite characters are never completely good or completely bad. Morally gray, imperfect characters fascinate me the most as a reader and my favorite types to write as an author. Give me complicated people making terrible decisions for understandable reason. #BookSky #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 29/08/2026

One thing I’ve learned: be careful with huge free giveaways. I’ve done BookBub Free promos for Books 1, 2 & 4—3/3 hit #1 in all 3 categories & 2 hit #1 globally. Great visibility, BUT free download spikes can lower your star rating. Free readers seem to rate harsher than $0.99 readers. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 28/08/2026

Writing a thriller is basically spending months creating problems for imaginary people and then making those problems progressively worse. Apparently, peace & stability are terrible for plot. The second everyone seems okay, something has to go horribly wrong. 😂 #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 28/08/2026

You can work incredibly hard, perform at a high level, and still never hear, “You did a great fucking job.” But you know when you gave something your absolute best. I recently walked away from an unhealthy work situation, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. #AuthorSky #JobSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 26/08/2026

What genre could you absolutely NOT write? For me, fantasy with massive worlds would be tough. Sci-fi with futuristic worlds & complicated tech would melt my brain. But Christian fiction? Never. 😂 I write dark crime thrillers. My characters would commit 3 felonies before Chapter 2. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 25/08/2026

Some people can tolerate you struggling much more easily than they can tolerate you succeeding. It’s like they want to see you lose. They want to see you fail. And sometimes the best fuck you is to succeed. #AuthorSky #LifeSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 24/08/2026

Competition can bring out the worst in this industry. Some will deliberately try to tear down your book & ratings. I learned that quick. While others waste energy on toxicity, I’d rather spend mine writing. Wrote 2,511 words on my new standalone today. That’s where my energy is going. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 23/08/2026

This made my morning: THE SERPENT’S ORDER (Book 4) is currently: 🖤 #1 in Assassin Thrillers 🖤 #1 in Vigilante Justice 🖤 #2 in Crime Thrillers So many incredible authors & books out there. Grateful to be competing alongside them, especially doing all my own marketing. #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 22/08/2026

My assassin crime thriller is #4 in Amazon’s Free Kindle Store and #1 in Organized Crime, Romantic Suspense & Military Romance. 😂 I didn’t pick those categories. Romance is very much the B-story, but Amazon has spoken. Still, THREE #1 & #4 overall. Shit, I’ll take it.🔥 #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 21/08/2026

Book 5 took the longest to write in the series. Drafted it with a broken wrist, moved into a new house & spent months plotting, researching, & developing the characters. Usually draft in 3 months. This one took more out of me. Sometimes a book asks for everything you have. This one did. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 21/08/2026

Turned in Book 5 of my series yet to be published to my acquisition editor, who’s believed in me from the beginning. I wasn’t prepared for this response. I honestly got emotional reading it.😭 Sometimes we’re so hard on ourselves, we don’t see our own growth until someone else does. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 19/08/2026

Ever read a horrendous book by an established Big 5 author and think, “My book is 1,000 times better than this”? Truth: It probably is. Well-known authors can put out a dud and still get published because their name sells. Publishing is tough, and it definitely isn’t fair. #AuthorSky #BookSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 19/08/2026

The kids are back in school, and I have to admit, it’s kind of nice having some quiet time to myself to write. I’m already 14,000 words into my new #WIP, and it feels so good to be in the flow. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 18/08/2026

There’s something special about night writing. Reading a good book can keep you up way past your bedtime, and writing one can have the same effect. You hit that zone where the story takes over, the words keep flowing, and suddenly you just have to see what happens next. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 17/08/2026

Write a book you would want to read. A story that excites you, pulls you in, and one you can’t stop thinking about. The one you would pick up in a bookstore and genuinely want to read. If you’re excited to turn the page, chances are someone else will be too. 💙📚 #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 15/08/2026

Most of us carry experiences that changed us, for better or worse. Through the hills and valleys of life, as writers, we can draw from those experiences to shape our stories and give them authenticity. Readers can feel the rawness when characters are inspired by something real. #AuthorSky

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SZ Estavillo @szestavilloauthor.com · 14/08/2026

I took today off work to deal with a serious stalking matter. My protective order against a dangerous person was renewed today. Twilight of the Serpent, Book 3, was inspired in part by my 7-year experience with stalking. Too many victims aren’t taken seriously until it’s too late. #AuthorSky

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