Category Archives: Writing Romance

Indie Publishing, Passing Rain, Writer's Life, Writing Health, Writing Romance

My Life Rhythm

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I’m at that point in my life where I can appreciate having the freedom to spend my time as I choose. I have a flexible routine, not a schedule, so I rarely set an alarm, moving about my day based on how I’m feeling and what I want to accomplish. The day, month, or season affects how my time unfolds. I feel this flexibility to discover the natural rhythm of my life is a privilege, as well as a responsibility.

This responsibility is reflected in my favorite quote, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” These are the wise words of Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

Writing Updates

As is my tendency, it’s been a while since I posted here, though my last post was about accountability, but I’m happy to say I have been writing and I owe most of my progress to my Monday night Zoom buddies, Stephanie Bond, Jennifer St. Giles, Susan Goggins, and Rita Herron. I definitely hold myself accountable to these wonderful writing friends. I couldn’t do this without them.

Currently, I’m a little over halfway through the initial draft of Late Night Lattes, the third book of The Coffee Stop Series. The first book, Espresso in the Morning was originally a 2012 release. I have updated that book and have completed the initial draft of Americano Afternoons, the second book in the series. Once all three are drafted I’ll do rewrites and edits. With luck, I will release them early in 2026.

Series Goals

One of my goals for this series was to make it diverse and inclusive. I spent time on sites like Writing With Color, a resource created by people of color, sharing tools for authors to help them write diverse characters in a respectful way. In The Coffee Stop Series, I have developed diverse, non-point-of-view characters with their own story arcs. They have purpose and, hopefully, impact the series. If anyone is willing to be a diversity reader for me, please reach out. I’d love your input.

Another goal was to understand the effects of AI on the publishing industry and determine how and if I should use it in my writing. I use AI in the brainstorming and story development phases. Seasoned authors who are using generative AI, trained on their own writing, are ahead of the game, in my opinion. For me, though, generating the words is the best part. I also limit my use of AI due to environmental concerns. I offset my carbon and digital footprints by doing non-AI internet searches, not downloading large files unless needed and by keeping my data storage clean.

Lastly, in honor of my Jessie’s September 28th birthday, Passing Rain, the e-book version, will be free for five days from October 2 through 6.

Passing Rain a memoir front cover
Cover design by Elizabeth Graham

How are you finding your life rhythm?

Hope everyone is enjoying cooler temperatures!

deep pink zinnias with bee enjoying pollen
a bee enjoys my zinnias
red and yellow Indian blanket flower
my first bloom in my pollinator garden
orange and black butterfly on variated orange marigold
butterfly on my marigolds
Indie Publishing, Passing Rain, Writer's Life, Writing Romance

Happily Accountable

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These days I’m feeling happily accountable for my writing. I’m openly discussing my projects with friends and family and this post is another way of committing to the process. My youngest recently visited for a couple of months and then my sweet godgrandson came for a long weekend. Though I took some writing time, I enjoyed playing for a good bit of the summer. Now that August is drawing to a close I’m focusing on updates for Espresso in the Morning and the children’s book series I’m working on with my sister.

Dorie Graham Updates

Dorie Graham books spread with North American and international copies

Harlequin approved the reversion of rights to A Family Reunited, my remaining Superromance and five of my Blazes, The Last Virgin, Tempting Adam, The Morning After, So Many Men… and Faking It. I’m really looking forward to rereading and reworking all of these.

I’m well into the updates for the re-release of Espresso in the Morning. I ask anyone interested in reading it to please be patient, though. This story had so much more in it that was either cut or never made it onto the pages. In exploring all I wanted to do with it, I’ve decided the new Espresso will be the first book of three in The Coffee Stop series. In Americano Afternoons I’ll explore the continuing conflict Lucas has with Toby’s sister, Louisa Platt, while she grudgingly explores her own romance. By the time I write the third book, Ramsey Carter, will have his business degree and be the driving force for making The Coffee Stop a nighttime destination in Late Night Lattes, where Ramsey will get his own experience with love. I’ll want to complete all three books and release them in consecutive months, so stay tuned!

Bailey and Bud’s Magical Adventures Series

I can’t wait to have pictures to share for this project. I’ve developed a children’s picture book series I’m creating with my sister, Carol Anderson, illustrator extraordinaire. Currently I have outlined When You Meet a Fairy…, When You Meet a Dragon…, When You Meet a Wizard…, When You Meet an Elf… and When You Meet a Ghost… I have drafted the story for When You Meet a Fairy… and started the storyboard for that one. Basically, Bud, the dog of Bailey, a seven-year-old half Japanese, half Irish girl (like some sisters I know) gets into trouble with magical beings and Bailey and her friends, modeled after my grandnephew, grandniece, godgrandson and sister’s grandson, all help right the trouble. I don’t have a timeframe for releases yet, but am having so much fun with it and will keep you posted.

Passing Rain Free Book Promotion

Passing Rain a memoir front cover
Cover design by Elizabeth Graham

In my continuing effort to learn about all the promotion opportunities on Amazon and to also make this book available to anyone it might help, I’ve enrolled Passing Rain in a Kindle Free Book Promotion through Friday. Please pass this along to anyone who might be interested. Thanks!

I’m falling asleep thinking about these projects, waking up thinking about these projects, then making my way through all the other fun stuff I get to do in my day until I can sit down and get those thoughts out and recorded. If this isn’t happily accountable, I don’t know what is. Hope everyone is safe, well and enjoying life!

Indie Publishing, Writer's Life, Writing Health, Writing Romance

Finding My Creative Self

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Another spring has rolled into Georgia and I find myself happily ensconced in my cabin on our neighborhood’s little lake. With much joy, I have left the corporate world to pursue my writing full time. One of my top priorities these days is finding my creative self. How am I accomplishing this? I’m doing all the things I always longed to do, but never prioritized while holding down a full time job.

I’m reading.

After waking each morning, I have my coffee and tea – yes, I have both – and water – and I read on my Kindle on my iPad mini. I have another book I read on my phone’s Kindle for when I’m on the go and waiting somewhere. Before bed, I read a physical book. So I start and end the day reading. I sometimes even sneak in an afternoon read in the hammock!

The Break-Up Book Club-Temp Girl part 2-Dying to Tell covers. Books I'm reading to help with finding my creative self

Books I’m currently reading: Wendy Wax‘s The Break-Up Book Club, Stephanie Bond‘s Temp Girl, part 2, and Rita Herron‘s Dying to Tell (A Slaughter Creek Novel).

I’m journaling.

I’m journaling daily. One day, while journaling, I got the idea for a journal I wanted to use, so I created it, learned a lot in the process, and had fun. I have been using it ever since.

It’s A Positivity Journal for Uplifting Everyday Living. The prompts make me think about my day in a way I may not have otherwise thought. It’s available on Amazon, if you’d like to give it a try.

A Positivity Journal for Uplifting Everyday Living book picture - the journal that's helping me with finding my creative self
azaleas by ship house dock, where I meditate while finding my creative self

I’m meditating and doing yoga.

I’m also sleeping without an alarm, eating a healthy diet, and most days, I either kayak, or take out the pedal boat in the afternoons.

Dorene's hands filled with pencils, pens, paint brushes and markers - the tools I use in finding my creative self
Photo by Liz Graham

I’m working on writing.

I’d like to say I’m actually writing, but at this time I’m getting my feet under me. I’m updating my website, learning everything I can about SEO, key words, Amazon Ads, blogging and so much more.

I’ve reached out to Harlequin and am waiting to hear if I’m getting the rights back to five of my Blaze books and A Family Reunited, my remaining Superromance, all of which qualify for reversion. I have already received the rights back to Espresso in the Morning. My plan is to update, add back in any appropriate deleted scenes and re-release these.

I have updated my memoir, Passing Rain, to correct Lindsey’s pronouns to they, them, theirs, as well as any other gender specific references. I’ve enrolled it in KDP Select, so it’s now free in Kindleunlimited. The ebook and paperback are also still available on Amazon, if you haven’t yet read it, or are interested in the updated version.

Finally, I have been dusting off my Earth Rising series that has been on a back burner for a very long time. I’m hoping to jump into this one over the next week or so.

And for the fun of it I’ll be sending my sister two children’s books I wrote ages ago to see if she wants to do the illustrations. I know spreading myself out over so many projects may not be the best strategy, but when I’m excited about something, I feel it’s important to pursue it. Don’t worry, my main focus will be romantic fiction.

Living this way allows me to stay healthy, happy and aligned, so that I’m able to tune into that voice inside that guides me towards inspiration. As I’m working on all of these projects, I have no doubt I am finding my creative self. I thank you all in advance for cheering me on in my pursuits.

How are you finding your creative self?

bluebells and hammock
Traditional Publishing, Writing Romance

Making Espresso in the Morning

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Espresso in the MorningNo, this isn’t a recipe for a great cup of coffee or the story about the time I bought the espresso machine as a “family” Christmas gift. True, I wanted it for me, but my kids wanted it just as much. It was a legitimate gift and well appreciated to this day, but this, my very first blog ever (not just on my squeaky new website), is about the making of my December 2012 Superromance release, Espresso in the Morning.

Espresso in the Morning was originally born during my quest to expand my writing muscles by breaking into the women’s fiction market. I once had a friend with PTSD and was so moved by that friend’s struggle I wanted to write a character who battled this disorder. I developed the seed that sprouted this story while talking with my daughters one day. My girls are always fundamental in the growing of all my stories. Their eyes don’t glaze over when I drift into rants on character growth and goal, motivation and conflict. No, they actively participate in occasional brainstorming sessions with me. How lucky am I?

Once I had sprouted the seed of that story I invited some of my writing buddies to brainstorm with me. I was very fortunate to have Sandra Chastain, Nancy Night, Haywood Smith, Berta Platas and Michelle Roper step forward with all their wonderful insights and ideas for this story. I, in turn, got to hear about some of their projects and share my thoughts with them. Nothing can clarify a story better than a roomful of creative minds.

After the brainstorming, I wrote. When I finally had a proposal ready for what I’d hoped to be my first women’s fiction novel, I sent it to my agent, then waited with bated breath. I really liked my story of a single mother’s struggle with PTSD and her fight to keep her son, but my agent didn’t feel it was strong enough to break into the women’s fiction market. Still, I really wanted to write Claire’s story. I had already bonded with her and Grey.

I sent the proposal to my editor at Harlequin and asked if she thought we could turn it into a romance. She was very enthusiastic about the story and so began the revisions, first of the synopsis and then the chapters. Lucas, the coffee shop guy, stepped front and center and we morphed him into Claire’s sexy hero. I developed the romance and walked the delicate balance of staying true to my original vision of a mom and her son, while focusing on the relationship between Claire and Lucas. In my original concept of the story I felt Claire’s need to heal would overshadow any romance, that by the end of the book we’d know she was on the road to recovery and that a romance (possibly with Lucas) was on the horizon. Even though it was my idea to send the proposal to Harlequin as a prospective romance, I wasn’t sure until I was writing it that I could actually transfrom it, that I could make Claire’s recovery believable enough that she’d be ready for a romance during her healing process.

I found this actually created all kinds of great conflict and I think it was Lucas who finally convinced me. It was a daunting task, but Lucas was determined to tell his own story in those pages and in the end I had to leave him and Claire and Grey with their happily-ever-after. For me, it worked and I enjoyed writing their happy ending.

 

Do you have a preference for women’s fiction over romance or vice versa? What makes a good romance?