Writing Outside of the Box
When I first started writing, I gravitated toward the straight-up romance genre. Simplified, what I mean by “straight-up” is your typical formula romance that goes something like this:
Boy meets girlThey fall in loveSomething happens to pull them apartAfter a while, they get back togetherThe couple lives happily ever afterWhile that’s still my primary trope, one that I enjoy both reading and writing, I occasionally have the desire to add something else to the basic formula. A little mystery? Suspense? Police procedural? Adventure?
My quest for that something else is what led me to write Justice for Hattie Mayfair. It’s set in South Louisiana, an area I’m familiar with because I live there. The story begins with Lexi, a poor, preteen girl who witnesses something terrible in the woods. Something she must keep secret to ensure her safety.
In her early twenties, Lexi meets a man who ignites her hope of one day being free from the past. Free from fear. From constantly looking over her shoulder.
One reader said if Justice for Hattie Mayfair was my way of writing outside the box, that I should do it more often. Maybe I will! I loved writing this book, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it.
Romance/Suspense
