Guest Appearance with author Kate Angelo

I asked Kate Angelo: When you’re an award-winning best seller, does that put more pressure on your writing or give you more confidence as a writer?

The short answer? Yes.

Yes, it’s pressure. Yes, it’s confidence. It’s both—often at the same time, like a weird emotional smoothie nobody ordered.

When I became a Publishers Weekly bestselling author and won my first award, I thought confidence would just roll in like a tide. I imagined myself sipping Nespresso at my desk thinking, Ah yes, today I shall effortlessly produce literary brilliance because I am officially validated.

Cut to reality where I’m on my fifth cup of coffee, staring at a blinking cursor, and my “literary brilliance” is now 3,000 words in the trash.

Success is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s proof that people like your writing and want more of it. On the other, there’s always a voice whispering, What if your next book tanks? Suddenly you’re not just writing for fun or passion. You’re writing to meet the expectations of readers, editors, and even your own past successes.

And then there are the award nights.

I was sitting there at the Selah Awards, stomach doing its best Olympic gymnastics routine, waiting for my category to be called. I’d told myself not to get my hopes up, but hope is sneaky. It slips in like glitter you can’t get rid of it, and it clings to everything.

They announced third place. Not me. Okay, fine, silver’s good.

They announced second place. Still not me.

And right there, in that split second between second place and first place, my confidence crumpled into a sad wet noodle. I thought, Well, that’s it. I didn’t even place. Where’s the chocolate?

Then my name was called.

But I was so busy sulking in my head it didn’t register. My husband poked me. “That’s you!” I blinked, realized I was now that person holding up the line to the podium, and scrambled up there to accept my award, probably looking utterly shocked.

Here’s the thing: moments like that are humbling. They remind me that my perspective isn’t always accurate, that sometimes my worst critic is me, and that success often comes when you least expect it.

So, does being an award-winning, bestselling author give me confidence? Absolutely. I know I can tell a story that connects with people. I know my work has been recognized at a professional level. But does it also pile on the pressure? Oh yes. Because now there’s something to live up to, and not just for the readers, but for myself.

My goal is to keep writing the stories I’m passionate about while being pliable enough to let my editors help shape them into the best they can be. BTW, editors aren’t there to crush your voice. They’re pruning the roses so they’ll bloom. And when I lean into that process instead of fighting it, I set myself up for success I can believe in.

But even more important than skill and process is purpose.

I firmly believe that your goals—whether in writing or in life—should align with your purpose. Otherwise, when the road gets hard (and it will), your confidence will waver, and you’ll be tempted to quit.

Purpose is the anchor when the storms come. Without it, you’re just drifting, and drift doesn’t win publishing contracts.

My purpose is rooted in telling stories of hope and redemption. That’s the thread that runs through every book I write. When I keep my eyes on that, the rest falls into place. Even when the rest feels like it’s falling on me.

I like to think of it like the Olympics. Not everyone wins a medal. But even the runner who comes in fourth is still faster than 99% of the population. In the same way, just finishing a book means you’ve accomplished something extraordinary.

So yes, there’s pressure. Yes, there’s confidence. But most of all, there’s purpose, persistence, and the joy of connecting with readers who see themselves in the characters you’ve created (hopefully the alive ones).

If you’re an author reading this, here’s my encouragement: keep going. Write the story only you can tell. Let your editors help you polish it until it shines. Surround yourself with people who lift you up. Celebrate your wins, no matter how small. And when your confidence dips (and it will) let your purpose drive you forward.

If you’re a reader, know this: your encouragement matters more than you can imagine. Every message, every review, every “I stayed up too late reading your book” fuels the courage it takes to sit down and do it all over again.

Award or no award, bestseller list or not, the real victory is finishing the race, telling the story, and staying faithful to the calling that put you at the starting line in the first place.

Oh, and if you ever hear my name called at an awards banquet, feel free to give me a nudge. Just in case.

Wow, I just love the way you “speak” (type), especially the line about confidence and pressure being a “weird emotional smoothie nobody ordered.” It’s funny because it’s true. So many of life’s milestone moments come with a whole blender full of different emotions. I can see why your characters hold so much emotional depth.

What struck me most was the honesty behind it all. I think as readers, we sometimes imagine bestselling authors sitting at their desks, sipping the fancy coffee, and effortlessly creating magic. But this post pulled back the curtain to show the realness of it all, the self-doubt, the editing, the endless cups of caffeine, (I resonate) and the heart it takes to keep going.

The way she described purpose really stuck with me: “Purpose is the anchor when the storms come.” It’s such a beautiful reminder that the reason we start something, whether it’s writing, creating, parenting, or just living intentionally, matters more than any title or recognition.

I also loved her take on editors “pruning the roses so they’ll bloom.” What a lovely metaphor for growth and trust in the creative process.

Read my full book review for: Girl Lost

The King Legacy

A LOST BABY

Luna Rosati found acceptance and comfort with her childhood foster family, but when she became pregnant at sixteen, she gave the baby up for adoption and left without a word. Now a CIA counterintelligence officer, Luna wants to reconcile her fractured sense of self by finding the only blood family she has–the teenage daughter she’s never met. As Luna closes in on learning the girl’s identity with the help of her mentor, Stryker, she prepares to meet him in her old neighborhood–the last place she wants to be. Then Stryker is captured.

AN INESCAPABLE PAST

Special Agent Corbin King changed his last name to escape the shadow of his convicted father serving a life sentence. When he runs into Luna, the object of his failed teenage romance, the two must put their pasts aside and work together to expose a secret that someone’s willing to kill for.

A DEADLY THREAT

But when they encounter a kidnapping, missing bodies, and murder, the secrets Corbin and Luna are keeping from one another are only the beginning of the threat they face with more than their own lives at stake.

A gripping Christian romantic suspense thriller with CIA intrigue, second chances, and found family. Perfect for fans of clean thrillers, faith-based fiction, and emotional page-turners by Lynette Eason, Colleen Coble, Jessica R. Patch, and Charles Martin.

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense Thriller
Published by: Revell
Publication Date: September 23, 2025
Number of Pages: 336 pages, Paperback
ISBN, Pbk: 9780800746636 (ISBN10: 0800746635)
Series: The King Legacy, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | BookBub | Baker Book House

Girl Lost Trailer:

Tour Participants:

Author Bio:

Kate Angelo is the Publishers Weekly bestselling author of Hunting the Witness, Selah Award winner of Deadly Holiday Hijack, and Amazon Top 100 Bestseller of Driving Force. Kate works alongside her husband championing stronger marriages and families. Her journey from foster care to bestselling author fuels her fast-paced romantic suspense, where flawed characters discover hope and healing through life’s fiercest trials and relationships. When she’s not putting fictional people through the wringer, she’s out creating real-life happily-ever-afters at conferences and events nationwide.

Learn more about Kate Angelo:

KateAngelo.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads – @kateangeloauthor
BookBub – @kateangeloauthor
Instagram – @kateangeloauthor
X – @thekateangelo
Facebook – @kateangeloauthor

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Kate Angelo. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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2 responses to “Guest Appearance with author Kate Angelo”

Wendy Barrows

October 9, 2025

“like a weird emotional smoothie nobody ordered.” ~ Haha! I love that!

OMG! If there was an award for guest posts – you just won it, hands down!

I was giggling and tearing up more just now than I ever have during a GP!

Thanks so much for this moment! ❤

LikeLiked by 1 person

1. Ashley Kanazawich
  
  October 9, 2025
  
  It was such a good guest post!! I loved it too!!
  
  LikeLike