Sharing Some HUGE News!

I definitely wasn't expecting this (and I'm slightly terrified), but I'm diving head first anyways...

No, I’m not pregnant. No, we’re not moving…

I signed a book deal!!!!

Just typing those words feels wildly surreal and honestly… a little terrifying. But here we are. It’s official. The contract is signed, the ink is dry, and I can finally share this dream that’s been quietly unfolding behind the scenes for the past six months. And let me tell you—there’s a lot to talk about.

Let’s Rewind To 2014…

Me & Bridget in 2014 (such babies!!)

I started The DIY Playbook in 2013 with my best friend, Bridget. Early in our blogging journey, we knew we wanted to write a book. Our first step was to find a literary agent, and after lots of pitching, we signed with one in 2015! Judy was amazing and knew everything about the publishing world. We even took a quick trip to NYC to meet her in person and discuss our book ideas.

We ended up going through a few different book concepts and almost had a deal at one point. But, in the end, it never panned out. We put our dreams of becoming published authors on the back burner and focused on growing The DIY Playbook.

As many of you know, Bridget left the blog in 2018, and I took over running the ship solo.

Speed Ahead To Fall 2024…

I get a lot of random emails and messages to my Playbook account every day. Lots of them are spammy and random, but an intriguing one came in from a follower who works in publishing.

It was a short and sweet email asking if I had ever considered writing a book, and she asked if I wanted to hop on a call to learn more about her publishing company.

I did my homework, checked her out on LinkedIn, and hopped on a call. We clicked right away. She had a clear vision for bringing The DIY Playbook brand to life in book form—and it felt aligned in a way that honestly gave me goosebumps.

I was hesitant at first. Life’s been in a good groove lately—between the blog, social, and mom life, things have felt pretty balanced. But after chatting with Finn and my mom, I realized I wasn’t ready to let this dream go. Not yet.

Working On My Book Proposal

I spent the next four weeks working on a book proposal. Essentially, it’s a ginormous document explaining who I am, why I should be the one to write this book, how I will market my book, and more. Not to mention, a fully flushed-out table of contents and a sample chapter of the book.

My goal was to get my book proposal finished by my hip surgery on November 7th. I got it done just in time!

Usually, when you’re going through this process, your agent submits the book proposal to numerous publishing houses, and then they all bid on it. But because this publishing house reached out to me first, my agent advised that it was industry standard to give them a 2-week preview to check out the book and decide if they wanted to buy it.

Getting The Call

After a few days, my agent called me. They wanted the book and were ready to pay a good price to keep it out of the hands of other publishers. Damn. That was an exciting day.

I got this news the week before Christmas, and it made for a pretty cool holiday season, dreaming of all of the work ahead of me in 2025.

I thought things would be signed and done by January, but I just signed the contract a few weeks ago! Lots of legal back and forth between me, the publisher, and my agent…but it’s now officially all sorted out and finalized!

So…What’s The Book?

Essentially, it’s my digital guide coming to life! It will tentatively be called Your Home Playbook: A Month-by-Month Guide to Maintaining Your Home.

This will be the handbook that every homeowner needs to keep their home running smoothly. You guys have loved having the digital checklist, but so many of you have reached out asking for more. You wanted a physical guide that you could reference throughout the year. This book will be that!

It’s honestly crazy to me that there isn’t anything like this already on the market. The only comparable titles are geared heavily toward men and are very outdated (and not very pretty to look at…IMO). My book won’t have the typical mansplaining that you find in other DIY books. You won’t be shamed for not knowing how often you should change your air filter or for not knowing the difference between silicone and acrylic latex caulk.

This guide will help homeowners stay organized, get ahead of problems, and take the stress out of managing their spaces. It will be empowering, uplifting, and make homeownership more enjoyable!

And yes—it’s going to be beautiful. Full-color photos. Gorgeous layouts. A book that’s as pretty as it is practical. One you’ll actually want to leave out on the coffee table.

This leads me to my next news…

Meet My Photographer…

Bridget taking my headshots in 2022

The moment I found out that this book was going to be a real thing, I called up Bridget. Yes, that Bridget. The one who founded the blog with me back in 2013.

She is now a professional photographer. No one knows this brand better than Bridget, and her photos are incredible, so it was a no-brainer to hire her to shoot the photos for the book! I was so excited when she eagerly said she was on board for this huge project.

What a full-circle moment - we will be working on this book together!! Our dream of creating a book is coming true…just in a different way than we originally imagined.

Isn’t life wild like that? Sometimes the timing isn’t right, but it always works out the way it should in the end.

What Happens Now?

Well, it’s time for this girl to get writing! I’m working closely with my editor to map out the final table of contents. Bridget and I will spend all summer shooting the photographs and tutorials for the book.

My manuscript is due by November (ahhhhh), and then the publishing house has all of 2026 to put it together.

The book will officially debut in January 2027!

That sounds far away, but in publishing time? It’s like…tomorrow.

Much more to come. And I promise to keep you in the loop every step of the way.

To every single one of you who has followed along, supported my work, or purchased my guide, you are the reason this book exists. I truly couldn’t have done this without your encouragement.

Here’s to big dreams, good timing, and the magic of finally saying yes.

xo,

Casey