The World As It Is: Real Life

My tagline is Real Life, Real Problems, Real Love.

I believe that infusing a love story with more than just the romance is vital for a powerful book. After all, we live in a world that has more than it’s fair share of problems, especially as I write this, the day before the US election of 2020.

Don’t get me wrong–new love is amazing. That rush of feelings, the decisions of should I or shouldn’t I? Is there enough here to give a relationship legs. And too often we don’t pay attention to red flags because love is blind, isn’t it?

Love changes over time, as I’m rediscovering as I write the yet-untitled story of Brad and Trish, previously minor characters in the Rocky Mountain Front Series. (If you have any idea of a title for my new novella–currently, I’m toying with The Pie Lady–please hop over to Facebook and let me know your thoughts!) The pair have been together since high school, and now their oldest child is heading off to college. Almost every marriage I’ve ever seen experiences stress at that point in time.

Which brings me back to real life.

I have to confess, I am avoiding some subjects in my books because they are burdened with such baggage, pain, and over-the-top emotion. The Covid crisis is one. I believe many of us waiting for the end of that story before we write about it. Anything less seems exploitative. I just pray we find a solution soon.

The political morass is uglier on a whole different level. It pains me to see regard for each other, no matter what the viewpoint fall so low. I look for little signs of hope, like the NPR story of a woman on one side of a protest picking up a MAGA hat and handing to the owner. (Read it here: https://storycorps.org/stories/a-trump-supporter-finds-a-surprising-ally-at-an-anti-trump-rally/)

What does creep into my tales are discussions of people who have opposing views, or of problems that need solving that require cooperation of all constituents. I’m honored when my readers get the idea without being hit over the head as a recent reviewer commented in her review of Coming Home:

“Another focus of this novel is on conserving natural areas in Montana, keeping them pristine places for animals and man to use and protect. This is done well as part of the story and not in a preachy way.“

I will continue to write the books I believe matter and hold gratitude in my heart for your reading of them.