A perennially awkward introvert moves to a small Scottish village to start over as a romance author after parenthood and a pandemic turns her life upside down. Hilarity ensues.* (*Not really.)

That’s it. That’s the “hook”. It’s also my life right now1, and the (rough) topic of this newsletter. I couldn’t think of a way to sum it up in one, neat little sentence, so I decided to write a blurb for it, as if it was one of my books. Yes, I hate me, too.

(Did I mention I also write books! You can buy them, if you like…)

Anyway, hi, I’m Amber.

People who don’t know me generally describe me as a romance author, lifestyle blogger, or “really annoying, actually,” depending on how much they like me.

People who do know me, on the other hand, are more likely to say things like, “Why do these things always happen to you, Amber?” or “What’s that on your face?” and that’s why, when asked to introduce myself, I normally just mumble a bit then say I write things for a living. Which is true.

So, hi: I’m Amber, and I write things. These days I mostly write books about slightly awkward people who keep getting themselves into ridiculous situations (Don’t ask me where my inspiration comes from, I beg you…), but before that I wrote a blog called Forever Amber, which used to regularly appear on lists of the Top UK Bloggers, even though it was mostly just about things like that one time I touched an electric fence, or paid £50 for a set of eyelash extensions that made me look like Barbara Cartland.

I also write this newsletter, which you should probably understand is not actually a “guide to life”. I just want to make that clear upfront.

No, this newsletter is really just an exploration of awkwardness, in all its forms. It’s about being an introvert in a world made for extroverts. About being socially awkward, and never quite fitting in. It’s about over-thinking everything, from what to wear, to what will happen to my diaries if I get hit by a bus tomorrow. It’s about what happens when “influencers” stop being… well, influential, really… and can’t quite figure out who they are any more, and it’s about my attempt to remain forever Amber, through parenthood, advancing age, and beyond.

What’s in it for you, though?

Paid subscribers will get full access to all of the content on the site, including exclusive posts, which I aim to publish roughly once a week, although I hope you’ll be forgiving when life occasionally gets in the way. These tend to be longer, more personal pieces, which I prefer not to share in public, and they’re some of my favourite things to write.

As a paid subscriber, you’ll also be able to join in discussions on my subscriber chat, and request a post on my chat thread here.

(Oh, and you’ll also get that warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with knowing you are singlehandedly keeping me out of the workhouse, as well as being one of my very favourite people in the entire world. Yes, really.)

Free subscribers, meanwhile, will receive The Awkward Girl’s Guide to the Week, and other, non-paywalled posts, direct to your email. You are also awesome. I 💖 you.

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