Hope Engel 📚
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hopeengel.com
Hope Engel 📚
@hopeengel.com
230 followers 190 following 1.4K posts
https://hopeengel.com
Reader, writer, cat mom, based in NY.
Working on my second manuscript, "Where We Land"
Looking for romance novel critique partners - DM me!
54 books in 2025!
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hopeengel.com
The antagonist is kind of a person - the MMC’s mom - but really more fear of having to set boundaries with her based on her past actions

This time at least I didn’t try to go for the half body image and I had time to add color to the garment 🤣
Drawing - Image of a cloud bubble representing thinking of a memory of an unhappy woman. Drawn in purple pen
November 14, 2025 at 4:33 PM
hopeengel.com
I finished Touched by @sagetgreene.bsky.social this morning! Sasquatch and I highly recommend you check it out: sagetgreene.wixsite.com/home/touched
Image of a grey cat laying on a pink yoga mat blocking the view of a iPad with a page of a book on it
November 14, 2025 at 1:41 PM
hopeengel.com
Had a lot of fun putting this together for @castpit4authors.bsky.social for my novel "At Your Pace."

I realized I know very few actors who are age 20 so I pulled a classic Hollywood and this crew is a little older but close enough!

#castpit #q #na #rc
Image says At Your Pace and has images of Cooper van Grootel as Emerson, Isabela Merced as Valeria, Emma Myers as Iris and Gabriel LaBelle as Asher
November 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM
hopeengel.com
"building" for "build" - Emerson goes to meet Valeria's mom and visit their house for the first time.
I double check to make sure I have the right address, step up to the brick building, and only make it halfway up the stoop before the door swing open. It’s only been a week since I’ve seen her last, but I still get the little welcome flutter of excitement when I see Valeria smile again.
November 13, 2025 at 1:17 PM
hopeengel.com
This is from a rough draft of the sequel WIP and one of the less spicy instances of the word “shirt”. Needs some editing love but you know should probably finish the draft first
As I come back from morning lift, I fully expect Valeria to still be asleep in my bed. But as I close the front door behind me, she stands at the kitchen counter making coffee with the newly added coffee maker. She has one of my old t-shirts on, looking scrumptious in the oversized worn down 5k race t-shirt that brushes the tops of her legs. I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her middle. “Good morning, beautiful,” I say. She softens into my embrace. “Mmm. Hi Em.” “You feeling okay today?” I ask. “Yeah.” She sounds better. Not all the way better, but much improved from last night. I press my lips to her shoulder. “Good.” “Not that I don’t love this but… you are sweaty.” “Oh, right,” I say, stepping back as she turns around and leans against the counter, a sleepy smile on her face.
November 12, 2025 at 1:50 PM
hopeengel.com
The first time the couple eats together - not a date - and hell yeah the FMC is getting a burger
Sitting and eating and chatting with her is easier than I expect, even without our other group project members in the conversation. She misses the burgers on campus because she thinks it’s a pain to make them at home. I tell her about my weekly goal to eat thirty plants and how that guides my dinner choices.
November 11, 2025 at 1:05 PM
hopeengel.com
Okay didn’t have time to do freckles on his arms, nor is he holding a baseball bat or glove, but it’s a little better than a stick figure I guess 😅
Pen drawing in purple of a young adult male just the torso with short hair and freckles
November 9, 2025 at 9:29 PM
hopeengel.com
Happy release day @sagetgreene.bsky.social - so excited to dig into this!
Image of an iPad with the cover a book called Touched by Sage T. Greene with floral imagery
November 9, 2025 at 8:50 PM
hopeengel.com
Your significant other meeting your pet is an important step in any relationship

(The dog is a goldendoodle)
Daisy gets her turn to say hi, too. “Okay, I admit, she’s adorable,” Valeria says, crouching down to scratch behind her ears. She whispers to me, “even if she is a white people dog.” I laugh as I sneak a quick picture of them together.
November 9, 2025 at 4:50 PM
hopeengel.com
I didn’t finish a book on Libby on time and for the first time saw this courtesy like, 45 minute extension to keep reading, how nice

Naturally the book has an 18!! week wait and no hard copies at any of the branches near me so I might buy it

Yes I read on my old af iPad lol
Image of an iPad screen that says “ you’re alone has expired time has run out and your loan is being returned. You may have a brief extension while you keep the reader open extend until 12:38 PM” Image of an iPad screen saying your loan has expired you’ve run out of time to finish reading this title
November 7, 2025 at 7:08 PM
hopeengel.com
When an athlete goes to the regular student gym for the first time!
Right at five p.m. I open the door. It has a very different vibe than the athlete training center. It’s crowded with the post-class, pre-dinner rush. While the demographics are still largely the same - the overall majority of people here are still eighteen to twenty-two year olds in their physical prime - but the vibe here is more relaxed. People are here to get in some movement after a long day of classes. I hear more chatter, the squeak of shoes on the court as students play intramural basketball, and the thud of others falling on the mat after dropping from the bouldering wall. I really have to give that a try soon.
November 7, 2025 at 1:06 PM
hopeengel.com
I saw some writing advice that interrupting conversations can make for more interesting scenes so I tried it with this scene first, and it definitely added some depth and tension (in another section) - but this is just a fun little non spoilery section :)
Another family comes up on the other side of the trail with a beautiful sheltie that strides right up to Iris. “Oh, sorry-” a middle-aged woman starts. “No, it’s okay! Can I pet?” Iris asks. “Yes! She’s friendly.” Iris and I let the dog sniff our hands and then we give the fluffy dog some attention, which she clearly enjoys, leaning into our hands and wagging her tail. Iris crouches down and looks ready to start cuddling with the dog. I miss Daisy when I‘m on campus, but Iris has been pet-less for years. “Iris, we should let them get back to their hike,” I say, and she gets up reluctantly.
November 5, 2025 at 1:15 PM
hopeengel.com
As Emerson and Valeria take on senior year of college, they must decide – will their paths diverge in pursuit of their passions, or can they find a way to take on their emerging adult lives together?

⚾ Sports romance
⚾ Sequel
⚾ Themes family, love, and careers

#questpit #w #r #na
Image of the Bear Mountain bridge in Hudson Valley New York in fall with three images on top: an image of a college building, an image of a blonde male and brunette female kissing, and an image of a baseball field with the word "where we land"
November 5, 2025 at 1:07 PM
hopeengel.com
Showed up and voted! 🇺🇸 proud to vote for some stuff for my town that will make an impact locally! #voting
Photo of a sticker that says “I made a freedom count I voted in Westchester County” against a blue wall
November 4, 2025 at 4:19 PM
hopeengel.com
A little spoilery for book one, but the sequel kicks off with Emerson finally introducing his girlfriend to his family (and it goes quite well).
“It was very nice to meet her yesterday,” Mom starts, warmly. “She’s very sweet. I like her a lot.” I smile. “Yeah. She is. I’m glad she got to meet everyone, too.” “So, Valeria mentioned she’s applying to Ph.D. programs this fall,” Dad chimes in. “Yep.” “Do you know where?” Mom asks as she pours some coffee. She’s clearly trying to be casual about it. I shrug. “I think she’s still narrowing down the list.” I haven’t asked. It’s a year away. “She’s very ambitious,” Dad comments. “I like that,” Mom follows up.
November 3, 2025 at 2:12 PM
hopeengel.com
The FMC’s winter coat is blue :) it’s not symbolic. There is one more intentional use of color but that’s not this
My room is so stark that all of her things stand out; Valeria’s light blue coat lays on the back of my desk chair, her backpack and an overnight bag of clothes tucked away in the corner.
November 3, 2025 at 1:13 AM
hopeengel.com
Wow 200 followers! What I love about Bluesky is I feel like I’ve gotten to know many of you - in fact some of us we have emailed and swapped WIPs and even zoomed - such a great community. Appreciate you all being along for my writing journey.
Screenshot of my Bluesky profile that has my image and a cover photo of a purple flower and marking 200 followers 166 following and 1.2k posts
November 2, 2025 at 3:58 PM
hopeengel.com
No cobweb, so “spider” - and referring to “Crouching Spider” by Louise Bourgeois!
For Valentine’s Day, Valeria had gifted me a money tree for some greenery and had two photos printed out: one of us and a picture of that spider sculpture I really liked, because she was so thrilled I had a favorite piece of art.
November 2, 2025 at 2:12 PM
hopeengel.com
I don’t have ancestor so going with a scene that references grandparents, from the beginning of my WIP.
Rob looked at Harper. “If I put on a movie for you, can you be extra good for Grandma and Grandpa for a little bit?” “Yes!” “Good. Grandpa will help you pick the movie.” Then he stood up, handed the remote to our dad, and patted his pockets like he was set to leave. Rob motioned for Valeria and I to get up. “Field trip time. Get your ID, we’re going to the brewery now that my little brother is finally old enough to go.”
November 1, 2025 at 2:51 PM
hopeengel.com
Listen Valeria is not above some old fashioned seduction tactics

(If I rewrote this from her perspective my lore is that there was a mixup with the costume size and it wasn’t meant to be this tight but she’s rolling with it anyway) #romance
The campy sounds of “Monster Mash” play as I step in and look around, looking for Valeria on instinct. I instantly spot her sitting on the couch talking with Yara and my eyes go wide. Valeria’s tits are straight up on display. They’re perfectly rounded and nearly spilling out of her top, pushed up by a corset laced tightly in the front.
October 31, 2025 at 3:30 PM
hopeengel.com
So this scene has already been reworked, but pulling this from the very first draft in Google Docs as it's my only usage of 'spell' across 1.5 manuscripts reminded me I need to work it in somehow...

(this joke will only be funny to like three people on this platform)
“No wonder you were in such a good mood yesterday. I figured you were just happy to have taken someone home after the party.” “Yeah. But also, I was celibate all fucking summer. My longest dry spell. Do you even know what that’s like?” I rolled my eyes. “Iris. Come on.” She laughed. “Well, I guess you could kinda relate.”
October 30, 2025 at 1:35 PM
hopeengel.com
My current WIP, a sequel, takes place over the course of roughly a year at a university in the Hudson Valley and some scenes in New York City.
Image of a library, university building, male and female couple holding hands in a field, baseball glove, lake with trees, and fall city scene with the words "where we land" in the middle
October 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
hopeengel.com
In a big stretch, subbing “floors” for broomstick because he is talking about cleaning floors which once would do with some broom device 😅

(I’m imagining they’re using a swiffer but the scene didn’t need that level of detail)
After a quick shower, Asher and I tackled the Sunday reset checklist so the apartment was looking really good - me on floors, him on kitchen duty.
October 29, 2025 at 11:24 AM
hopeengel.com
This inspired me to super roughly draft up a scene idea for my sequel WIP 👻🎃 where will it go? Absolutely no idea. That’s a problem for later me. #halloween #amwriting #romance
“Can we do a couple costume for Halloween?” Valeria asks. “Sure.” “Okay, yay! I already have ideas.” I love easy stuff like this that makes her so happy. “Before you get too excited… can we find something made of normal clothes this year?”
October 28, 2025 at 12:09 PM
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“Scream” as a swap! From one of the mini Iris chapters in the WIP.
I take a deep breath. Half of my brain screams, “Fuck it! I missed you! Let’s do this!” But the other half whispers, “Not again.”
October 27, 2025 at 12:23 PM