Someone said this to me recently.
My response: “I don’t have a lane.”
I write the stories I want to write. It’s the only way I know how to write a story.
When I first tried to publish the James Thomas series, publishers told me I’d never find readers for my books.
They said James Thomas was too violent for romance readers, and too romantic for thriller readers.
They told me to rewrite the story and come back to them.
I never rewrote the story because I write the kind of books I want to read, and I like thrillers blended with romance.
I wouldn’t have been able to rewrite it, even if I’d tried.
The story was the story.
So, I ignored the advice of several people with 30+ years of publishing experience and did my own thing.
It worked out well enough…
As I look back on the decisions I’ve made over the past five years, I’ve noticed one trend:
I don’t tend to follow the rules—at least when it comes to writing.
I’ve blended genres. I’ve changed genres.
And I’ve had a lot of fun doing it.
Would I have made more money if I wrote to market like some authors? Or wrote books that fitted neatly in one genre like Contemporary Romance?
Maybe.
But would I have enjoyed it?
Not likely.
When I look back on my life many years from now, I want to be able to say I made decisions that I’m proud of—decisions that were right for me and that brought me joy.
So, I’m going to keep writing the kind of stories I want to write, and I hope you enjoy them too.
B.
P.S. Eden has now released and it is $0.99 for a limited time…get it here: https://books2read.com/u/bPyp7d