"What genre would you like to try writing next?" is a question I’ve been asked more than once, and the answer might surprise some of my readers. While I started as a fantasy author, I’ve spent time ghostwriting, and in that role, I wrote more than a dozen historical romances. To my delight, I found that I really enjoyed the genre.
I’ve always had a love for history, I read the Bible daily, and I genuinely enjoy reading romance myself, so in many ways, inspirational historical romance feels like a natural fit. Truth be told, writing historical romance is easier for me than writing fantasy because I don’t have to build an entire world and culture from scratch. Instead, I get to bring real times and places to life and let the story flow within them.
A New Series in the Works: Laramie Hearts
As book one came to life, I began spotting which characters would step into the leading roles in future books. That’s when I realized this was more than just a single story. It was the beginning of a series. My plan is for five books set in the Laramie area, and for now, I’m calling it the Laramie Hearts series.
The stories will take place with one to three years between them, giving each one time to breathe and allowing characters to grow between installments. Right now, I’m only on chapter three of book two, but already the characters have completely taken over the stage of my imagination. This couple is a little different from the first: they’re in their forties, carrying life experiences, regrets, and a past that they’ll need to unpack before they can move toward love. Writing them feels both tender, exciting, and even healing. There’s so much more to explore when two people come together with histories that shape who they are.
Each book in the series will highlight different couples and journeys, but all will be tied together by setting, faith, the enduring hope of love, as well as the characters in book 1.
Sharing the Stage with Dragons
Of course, my Laramie Hearts characters don’t have me all to themselves. I’ve had to gently remind them that they need to share the stage with the cast of my Dragon’s Oath series. Right now, I’m deep into chapter [X] of Rise of the Variel (Dragon’s Oath, Book Four), and that story has to take top priority. My fantasy readers have been eagerly awaiting the next installment, and I’m just as eager to deliver it to them.
Balancing two different genres at the same time keeps me on my toes, but I think it also makes me a stronger writer. On one hand, I get to explore the sweeping, imaginative world of fantasy with dragons, magic, and epic stakes. On the other, I get to ground myself in real history, faith, and the slow blossoming of love between characters who feel like they could step out of the past and into our lives.
So, What’s Next?
So, when people ask me, “What genre would you like to try writing next?” the truth is, I already am. I’ve stepped out of fantasy and into historical romance, and I’m loving the journey. For now, those two genres, epic fantasy and inspirational historical romance, are where my heart belongs.
But stories have a way of surprising even the author who writes them. Who knows what characters and worlds might capture my imagination next?
I’d love to hear from you. Do you enjoy reading outside your favorite genre, or do you stick to one type of story? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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