At the beginning of 2025, my friend Ilene Haddad and I sat down for a heart-to-heart. She and I had been working together for two years, meeting weekly to exchange our writing, providing feedback and moral support, and generally holding each other’s hands through the arduous process of writing our respective books. We decided that since we’d been by each other’s side this whole time, and both books were due out later in the year, it was only fitting that we co-launch. So in April, we picked a date, sat down, and created a Very Large Spreadsheet of all the things we needed to do before our launch date – including, but not limited to, finishing our books.
This was quite a journey. Neither of us had any experience publishing a book. We had to figure out every step of the process. Tears were shed. Digestive systems were upset. We questioned our own sanity. We annoyed our spouses. We threatened to give up daily. Which is why, on December 13, 2025, when we sat onstage before an audience of our friends, family, and community members with books in hand, it was a moment worth celebrating.
Writing a novel is so hard. Throughout this process, I came to realize just how much goes into doing the work of a novelist. It’s a monumental task, and I was certainly not prepared for what I would go through at every turn in the process of writing and publishing my first book. It feels like I’ve come through the fire. I passed the test and finished the job. It’s certainly not perfect, but as the wisest of writers will tell you, “Done is better than perfect.”
The event went off without a hitch. It was everything we hoped it would be, and so much more. But even with all the hard work and planning we did, it could not have happened without the support of so many people who wanted to see us succeed. The gratitude I felt that day was overwhelming, and to be honest, it still is. I’m in awe of how many folks showed up and gave us their time and attention, celebrated with us, and encouraged us to keep going. To all those who attended the launch event – THANK YOU. It was an honor to share our special accomplishment with you.
A special thanks to Kick Butt Coffee for sponsoring our event and providing us with an ideal space. Their staff was helpful and professional, the food and drinks were delicious, and their communication throughout was excellent. We’re also grateful to our genius emcee, Roanna Flowers, who, despite having her own wedding scheduled the following week, made time to be there for us. She showed up in a fabulous pink suit, kept the audience in line, and made us look good. Big thanks to our photographer, Virginia Hernandez. We’re eternally grateful she could squeeze us in during the busy holiday season. The photos (below) turned out beautifully! Thanks to fellow authors Evin Cooper and Nancy Knight for helping us with book distribution and crowd control. And, of course, thanks to Junaid Quraishi and Bill Haddad – our long-suffering spouses – for helping with logistics, setup/teardown, and making sure we were there on time.
Last year was hard for so many reasons. Health challenges, family concerns, our batshit political reality, a crappy economy, and a boatload of searing self-doubt around these projects. To be on the other side, seeing ourselves as published authors with our books out in the world, feels miraculous.
Buy The Whole Enchilada by Daniela Quirke
Buy I’ve Seen You Naked Over 8,000 Times (Marriage and Other Risks of a One-Night Stand) by Ilene Haddad
