It’s an epic story 12 years in the making of the villain finding out his fate wasn’t always in his hands… but it could be.
Again Behold the Stars is the upcoming debut novel by Jessie Latimer. Drawing inspiration from Dante’s Inferno and a day dream about jumping into her favorite stories, she began the quest to write this book when she was only a teen.
The protagonist decides she’s going to change a few things in a story, but accidentally reveals the spoiler to the villain that they’re fated to be defeated and die at the end. After an existential crisis, they go on a journey of redemption. Standing in their way is the “real hero” and a motorcycle gang of the Seven Deadly Sins.
The first draft of this book started when Jessie was 16. After the harrowing experience of writing and rewriting Again Behold the Stars, Jessie found the querying process to be just as daunting. She was thrilled when literary agent Kristen Terrette with Martin-Newens Literary Agency (Formerly Martin Literary Management) took a chance on her.
Trial and error and more trial and more error led her down a winding path to publication. It was tricky to find a publisher. Even when they liked the story, they thought the genre wasn’t clear enough. She wants young writers to know that they don’t have to think their stories aren’t good enough and all aspiring authors to know they should keep trying. At 28 years old, her novel launches August 8, 2026 from Quill and Flame Publishers.
Throughout this adventure, Jessie found truth in the axiom that writing is a solitary act, but you don’t have to go it alone. Many people have supported her journey along the way. Cultivating success was kick started when she invested in herself and attended a Broadleaf Writers Conference several years ago. Finding community not only lifted her up, but it helped sharpen her writing skills and ultimately led to her landing an agent.
Dive deeper into Jessie’s journey to Again Behold the Stars with the recording of the Member Spotlight discussion or on our Write Now podcast anywhere you enjoy listening to podcasts.
You can find more about Jessie Latimer at jessielatimerbooks.com or connect with her at instagram.com/jessielatimerbooks
These spotlights are a perk of being a member of Broadleaf Writers Association. It’s a great way to boost your reach and highlight your accomplishments. You don’t have to be a published author to enjoy this benefit. To join, visit broadleafwriters.com/become-a-member Then you can reach out to us to schedule your Member Spotlight.