What Brought Me Joy This Week.

As much as I’ve been battling Depression, I thought it would be a great idea to highlight the things this week that helped me pour back into myself or made me smile.

Evelyn Leigh

Jul 13, 2025

Here goes:

Brynne Weaver & Butcher & Blackbird.

Brynne Weaver added “Shadowed Obsession” to her TBR. *screams internally*

Those who know me know how much I love Brynne and her work. She’s inspired me a great deal when it comes to dark rom coms and it’s truly an honor. But the moment Lilith and I decided on the hot pink spine for Shadowed Obsession, we were salivating over being able to place the print copy right beside B&B on our bookshelves. It’s the first thing I did when my proofs arrived and of course Brynne had to see how cute they are together! 🥹

I saw a lot of lows this week and needed a comfort read, so I began rereading Butcher & Blackbird. I’m so glad I did because it was just what the doctor ordered. Rowan Kane is A MAN and I’ve never forgotten. 🫠

Vinyls & Spotify Playlists.

Music hit different for me this week and I was in a hip-hop & r&b bag HEAVY. Keyshia Cole “The Way It Is” and J. Cole’s “The Sideline Story” were the vinyls in constant rotation. Spotify playlists I spun were Produced By Timbaland, the YOAP playlist and individual playlists for both Daya & Silas (will be sharing these soon), my new MCs in “You Of All People,” coming this fall!

Songs on repeat this week:

Bourbon and Lies & Bourbon and Secrets on audio

This week I started The Bourbon Brothers series by Victoria Wilder and HOLY SHIT. These books are so fucking good. WOW. I’m actually upset with myself for taking so long to read them! They’d been on my TBR ever since I saw those gorgeous covers and I’m glad I finally started this series! It’s available on Kindle Unlimited and I HIGHLY recommend reading these on audio! It’s such an experience and I had the best time! Bourbon and Secrets released on audio this week and I am so hype to start it!

Commissioned Artwork

I have commissioned a few artists at the moment per usual, and have been working with @gbaa.cham and @rosiesfables on some characters from upcoming stories that I’m really excited about! Since I love to edge, enjoy this blurry sneak peek. 😂

Enjoy me reacting to some artwork I received from Rosie 😂

Clipse

As a lifelong fan of Clipse, I couldn’t be happier about this new album “Let God Sort Them Out” was EVERYTHING I needed. 🥹 It’s helped pull me out of this funk and I’ve been writing while listening. We are so back!

Favorite song at the moment is “F.I.C.O.”

“Indulging Temptation” by N.J. Weeks

I’ve been reading this book since N.J. sent the ARC over and I am OBSESSED. Santino Amato, the man that you are. 😍 I’m sprinting all day, but I am determined to finish this book! Using it as a little reward when I complete my responsibilities. 🥺 If you haven’t already, add Indulging Temptation to your TBR and don’t sleep on it! It’s also available on Kindle Unlimited and if Greyson Park is one of your top book boyfriends, I HIGHLY recommend this read!

Substack

I’ve steered clear of this app for a while and chunked it up to it being social media I just can’t learn but I was wrong. So terribly wrong and this is a lovely place to be as a creative, but especially as a writer. I shared an article earlier this week and spoke freely as I often do in my notes app and it was so freeing that it cleared my mental block and I’ve been in the writing cave since! I’d like to thank every one of you who’s subscribed and I hope you enjoy my shitposting over here. While different from my regular newsletter, I hope you enjoy sharing this space with me as well! 🫶🏽

Thank you all for dropping by! I hope this week is kind to you and stay tuned for updates as I’ll be revealing the cover for “You, Of All People” on Thursday! 👀