The Shoe Diaries by Darcy Baham

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Welcome to It's Raining Books. Do you ever wish you were someone else? Who?

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a bunch of people--She-Ra, Ariel the Little Mermaid, Diahann Carroll, Josephine Baker--you name it! But honestly, the older I get, the people I find the most interesting are messy. Well, they are humans, and humans don’t get it right all the time. So I’d rather keep my life and deal with my mess instead.

What did you do on your last birthday?

Some of my closest friends came to town to spend the weekend with me and my friends who already live in NY. We rented a boat for a few hours one day and drank and ate and laughed in the most beautiful weather. Another day, we had a picnic in the park and then ended up back at my place, partying in our PJs that night. And finally, on my actual birthday, we went to one of my favorite restaurants in New York--Maison Pickle--and had a really nice dinner and they surprised me with a birthday cake and song.

What part of the writing process do you dread?

I hate the waiting part between turning in your manuscript to your editor and getting edits/notes back. It absolutely triggers all my anxious thoughts that come when things are uncertain for me… I have to genuinely check myself from assuming stuff like “she’s going to hate it; they’ll never want me to write for them again; I knew I went too far with that one scene” etc and just get comfortable with waiting.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

Absolutely! I had major writer’s block the first month of working on my 2nd novel, and what really helped me break through it was getting out of my head and trying to make it perfect from the jump. Instead, I took a trip to Palm Springs with some friends for a week and committed to writing at least 3 hrs each day, didn’t matter the quality or whatever. By the end of the trip, I had 3 chapters that needed a lot of work, but I had 3 chapters. I used that method the next 2.5 months until I finished it -- just get something on “paper” and then I’d go back over it later and make it into something better. I also learned not to set myself up by ending a writing day with the end of a chapter. That would mean too much pressure the next time around to start the next chapter. So, if I finished a chapter, I pushed myself to at least write a paragraph of the next one before ending for the day.

Tell us about your latest release.

The Shoe Diaries follows a young Black woman, Reagan, who has built her life doing all the things she was supposed to do and trying to live what she deems a perfect life. She went to college, is working in a job based on her degree, she’s got great friends, an active dating life, and a phenomenal shoe closet. And all of that is great except that she’s not actually happy. Indeed, one of her closest friends tells her that she lives a cautious life… one where there’s no room for risks and mistakes and therefore no room for real joy and fulfillment either. When that same friend begins to suffer from a chronic illness, Reagan decides she should give this risk thing a shot. In true perfectionist fashion, she creates a risk list and determines that as she “accomplishes” each risk, she will reward herself with a new pair of shoes. But one thing she refuses to consider, despite some of her friends’ insistence, is giving her ex another shot. As far as Reagan is concerned, he never really loved her and so she needs to move on to someone who will. Readers of the book will see all the ups and downs that come with taking on such a journey and the ways that minds and hearts can change when you’re not waiting on things to be perfect to be happy.

It’s never too late to put your best foot forward

From the outside, Reagan “Rae” Doucet has it all: a coveted career in Washington, DC, a tight circle of friends and a shoe closet to die for. When one of her crew falls ill, however, Rae is done playing it safe. The talented but unfulfilled writer makes a “risk list” to revamp her life. But forgiving her ex, Jake Saunders, might be one risk too many…

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

The Friendship Chronicles/Book 1: The Shoe Diaries

"Reminiscent of Sex and the City and the Shopaholic series in the best possible way. Her stories are a lot of fun and yet she still tugs at your heartstrings."--Gail Chasan, Special Edition Editor

Read an Excerpt

Bright and early on a Saturday morning, I found myself in a swanky gym locker room, less than a fifteen-minute walk from my apartment. Robin, Jenn and I had spent the past week sitting beside Christine’s bed more than anywhere else, but in desperate need of a distraction, I’d agreed to join Rebecca at a morning spin class at our local gym. And while I’d jumped at the chance to do something, anything really, other than think about Christine’s drip-drop slow recovery, it dawned on me not too soon after I met up with her that there was one small problem with me agreeing to the class: I hated spin.

Like, literally hated everything about it. It wasn’t that I didn’t think it could help; I knew a lot of people who swore by its health benefits, and certainly knew I’d be guaranteed to have an hour off from worrying. But over the years, spinning had become almost cult like with its many variations, such as Soul Cycle, Trap Cycle and how could I forget the one that claimed it felt more like working out in a nightclub? Beyond even that, the thing I disliked most about spin was the way my butt felt during the class. Everyone always said that eventually your butt gets used to the feeling of the bike, but when I’d tried it before…nah.

Regardless, there I was, putting on my spin sneakers on the wood-grain floors, marveling at the rotation of women coming in and out of the doors, looking like the exact models you might expect to see in spin class ads: blond hair tied in either a loose high ponytail or twirled in an up-do that took thirty minutes to do, but seemed effortless; Lululemon workout gear, S’well water bottles and enough sweat that they glistened, but not so much where they were actually drenched. I glanced up to see if Rebecca looked as nervous as I felt.

“Are you sure we’re ready for this?” I asked, trying to give us one last shot at running away.

“Ha, yes, I’m sure.” She paused. “I mean, kind of sure.”

I could sense her hesitation. Maybe she, too, was worried that we weren’t really the duo that fit in with the rest of the spin-bots before us? Even if we did have some things in common with them.

“You know our butts are going to be on fire afterward, right?” I asked, anxiously making sure the pink Velcro on my turquoise-and-white sneakers was fully snapped closed so that the shoes didn’t become a death trap for me on the bike pedals.

“Yeah, I know.” Rebecca’s once assured voice had been replaced with a nervous chuckle, and I remembered exactly why we were friends. Neither of us felt entirely comfortable where we were, but we were going to try it together. “But we’ve tried other things before, and it worked out. I’m sure this will be fine. Remember when we did Zumba this summer for a couple months? That was fun!”

“Zumba was fun—wait, why did we stop going there again?”

“Umm, great question,” she said, walking over to the water fountain to fill her own S’well water bottle. “Honestly, I think it’s because we just didn’t make the time for it. Who wants to go to Zumba when there’s happy hours, right?”

About the Author:

Darby Baham (she/her) is a debut author with Harlequin Special Edition and a New Yorker of five years who sometimes desperately misses the sprawling shoe closet she had while living in Maryland. She’s had personal blog posts appear in The Washington Post’s relationship vertical and has worked in the communications industry for more than two decades. The New Orleans, LA native is also a lover of big laughs and books that swallow you into their world. Her first book, The Shoe Diaries, is out now.

Author Website: http://www.DarbyBaham.com
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/darbybaham
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darby.baham/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/darbybaham
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darbybaham/

Darby Baham’s Washington Post bylines

I had the perfect date dress. Why did it hang in my closet unworn for more than a year? -- March 2016
When it comes to relationship advice, sometimes it’s best to ignore your friends -- February 2016
I’m the oldest sister in my family and I’m single. And that’s okay. -- March 2016
I was afraid to say ‘I love you.’ Here’s how I found the courage.
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