Finally I get to tell you everything...

Superheroes, theatre drama, secret ex-girlfriends, very green Porsches, influencer pugs, the seductive power of butterscotch pudding, and so much more

Out in Hollywood’s Finale!

Dear Readers,

I wrote many posts last year about the novel I was in the midst of drafting. It involved more research than I’d ever done before, an agonizingly slow start, and then an utter dream of a first draft that wrote easily* and provided my favorite place to hang out when the world was consumed by depressing** political news. And now I get to tell you all about it.

In Her Spotlight is a second-chance romance about the stories we tell about ourselves, both to the world and to ourselves. It’s about the loneliness and isolation of both fame and the closet, as well as the healing power of community and people who see the real you. It’s set backstage during play rehearsals, and features about a thousand new characters that I am so thrilled to share with you… and some returning faves I hope you’re happy to see.***

The cover was revealed on Monday over at Paste (thank you to Paste!!) along with an interview about the book, about second-chance romances, about closeted celebrities, and about what it means to write queer romance at a time in history like this one. I loved these really thoughtful questions, and I hope you’re all proud of me for answering them very sincerely!!!!****

I love all my Out in Hollywood covers, but this one might just be my favorite. I love the purple, and I love how hot Rebecca and Tess look. Tess’s backwards chair sit is 🔥 and Rebecca looks like such a boss. Since Chloe’s Bronco made an appearance on the On Her Terms cover, I lightly suggested Tess’s Porsche show up here, and I was so delighted to see that it was included. It’s a dream come true to INVENT PEOPLE and then get to see them as an artist envisions them.

As you might know, I seeded in a few single queer women into the first draft of For Her Consideration so that if my dreams came true and the book was published and MORE BOOKS were wanted from me, I’d get to build a whole universe (AND HARVEST THOSE WOMEN). Like Max:

(I honestly feel a little bad for how squeaky and dorky Max is in For Her Consideration but also I recently-ish reread it to get some character details and this aspect did make me laugh a lot.)

…and Chloe and Clementine:

(Fun fact: Initially, I gave Clementine some really boring name, so boring that I now forget what it even was. But by the time I knew For Her Consideration was getting published (and At Her Service a year later!), since there was a chance to write Chloe’s story, I knew I had to make sure her love interest had a non-boring name, so I changed this at the very last minute!)

Anyway, also Tess:

Tess actually pops up quite a bit in At Her Service, even though by then I think I was only mostly sure the fourth book would be hers. In For Her Consideration she’s just a famous mention who’s in a superhero franchise and owns a rescue pug, Rosie, with her own influencer income. Putting all these scattered references together was a little maddening (why on earth did I say Rosie’s success legally had to be referred to as her pup-ularity??!) but also a bit like a scavenger hunt I’d lovingly set up for myself.

In Her Spotlight wasn’t the hilarious book I thought I’d write after pushing myself comedically with On her Terms. Writing about a closeted star was a heavier process than I’d anticipated, and writing a second-chance romance digs up a lot of feelings for your main characters that can be more to wrestle with than… first-chance romances? Anyway, ultimately I’m thrilled that In Her Spotlight isn’t what I expected. After writing my beloved smartasses Clementine and Chloe, it was refreshing to spend so much time with Tess, incapable of sarcasm, and Rebecca, fully capable but less trigger-happy about deploying it.

The research was thrilling and fun and overwhelming and stressful, and this is also not the book I expected to write because of the research. I am lucky to have so many theatre professionals in my personal life, and I truly genuinely loved spending time with them over the phone or on Zooms or across tables of nearby restaurants.

Researching meant that I had to let go of things I thought I knew but also that so many more things existed and were possible. It reshaped the book in ways big and small (and luckily because I outline so extensively before I draft, this means I worked on multiple versions of my outline but kind of knew what I was setting out to do by the time I actually began writing writing).

When it was go time on drafting I panicked and felt asea when it came to logistics; I coincidentally had an unrelated call with a theatre friend that week and he gave me so many specific pieces of info that sorted it all out for me. I still think about another particular conversation constantly because there were so many pieces of it that I lifted almost fully formed into the novel; what if either one of us had been too busy to have that talk? It’s weird to think what the book would have been in that version of events. I also asked my most pedantic theatre***** friend to read an early draft and tell me everything that made him angry. This is an exercise that can test one’s inner mettle and also a friendship, but it went very well and I’m glad that I did it.

I’ll be sharing so much more about Tess and Rebecca and all of In Her Spotlight over the next months! For now, I beseech you (you know it’s important because I’m using an old-timey word like beseech): you’ve probably heard authors say that preorders matter, but preorders really matter! So if you’re interested in In Her Spotlight I do urge you to preorder now! It’s a gift for 2026 you, who will need a little treat. This helps my publisher see that people are interested in the book, and therefore helps them maybe push it a little more to bookstores and libraries and other folks like you but who aren’t you and aren’t getting this email in their inboxes today.

But, Amy, you might shout, I want to wait until you release the preorder incentive which I feel like you will do! Yes, there is going to be an exclusive preorder exclusive swag item, and I promise you that all you have to do is send me proof of preorder FROM ANYWHERE and I’ll send you one! Easy breezy beautiful sticker sheets (shhhh!).

It is bittersweet for me to end the Out in Hollywood series, but I so wholly feel like I’ve done what I set out to do that by the time this manuscript was complete I felt really settled about this fact. I’m psyched to do new things in the future, as well as to remind you that THIS SERIES IS REALLY FOUR STANDALONE BOOKS WITH SOME OVERLAPPING CHARACTERS THAT YOU CAN READ IN WHATEVER ORDER YOU’D LIKE I PROMISE. (But if you really want to get ready for In Her Spotlight and haven’t read any of the others, At Her Service is a fun starter.)

Thank you to all of you — knowing I’m going to share news with my readers, friends, and family makes it all the more exciting! Scroll down for the official synopsis and some lovely things said by some lovely people, as well as a drawing of Rosie (by Fiona W., who also drew the illustration of me and my kitties above).

xoxoAmy

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Hollywood actor Tess Gardner is not the kind of famous she set out to be. She's ready to show she’s more than Princess Platinum of the Vindicators series, a pretty face with CGI superpowers that literally sparkle. Tess wants to prove herself as an actor and that means theatre—the true calling of her thespian heart. But just when Tess lands a part working with an acclaimed stage director, a brewing scandal forces him out. His replacement? None other than hip, buzzy director Rebecca Frisch. The same Rebecca Frisch whose heart a firmly closeted Tess broke over a decade ago during summer stock . . .

As Tess wrestles with her lingering guilt and attraction to Rebecca, she also finds herself struggling to rein in her superstar status backstage. When things unexpectedly reignite with Rebecca, Tess bristles even more against the walls of her A-list life. Since the industry’s made it clear that girl-next-door superheroes can’t also be gay, coming out isn’t realistic for Tess. And ultimately, Rebecca will head back to New York and likely seek out a less complicated relationship anyway.

Will the curtain close on her chance for happiness or will Tess finally take a leading role in her own life?

“This book is such a good time! A warm and rollicking romance that makes you feel like a Hollywood insider.” —Rainbow Rowell, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Slow Dance

“In Her Spotlight is Amy Spalding at the top of her game. It's laugh-out-loud funny and poked-bruise tender—and, of course, sexy as hell. This is the book you want to read right now.” —Alexandra Romanoff, author of Big Fan

“All hail the queen of the queer rom-com! In Her Spotlight is Amy Spalding's best book yet—a vibrant, funny, sweepingly romantic tribute to the importance of living life unapologetically your way. You will fall in love with Tess and Rebecca.” —Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, bestselling authors of The Royal We

“Another stellar addition to the Amy Spalding Cinematic Universe! In Her Spotlight is a pitch-perfect second chance romance, full of angst, depth, and hard-won growth.” —Ava Wilder, author of Will They or Won't They

“In Her Spotlight is the behind-the-scenes sapphic Hollywood novel of my dreams. Filled with sizzling chemistry, thoughtful explorations of identity, and the joys of theatre, this book is a must read.” —Camille Kellogg, author of Just As You Are and The Next Chapter

“Celebrities are people too! Amy Spalding has written a glorious, actually laugh-out-loud novel that explores the inside world of both theatre and film. A perfectly flawed, multi-layered heroine we can all relate to, even if we're not famous. I couldn't put it down until I found out how this story of advocating for yourself in life, love, and career ended, and it left me inspired to take a risk or two. Spalding has done it again: made us feel and feel seen at the same time.” —Patti Murin, actress, singer, and audiobook narrator

*Ask me about my edits though el oh el

**“depressing” doing some heavy lifting there huh

***Though of course this book is also a standalone and if you haven’t read any other Out in Hollywood titles you will be fine!

****extremely hard not to default to detached irony which look I know is weird for a romance author but as a Gen X Double Scorpio I mean come on

*****He’s pedantic about many things to be fair (complimentary)