Page 74 - Novelist Post – J.D. Barker and more

74 II NOVELIST POST
NEWYORKTIMESBESTSELLINGAUTHOR
INTERVIEW
T alks Southern Roots, Genre-H opping, and the H eart Behind H er S tories
L. P. Dover Shares Her Journey Through Romance, Suspense, and Magical Worlds
L. P. Dover discusses her inspiration, writing process, love for multiple genres, Southern influence, and emotional storytelling. She opens up about co-writing with her daughter and her most meaningful characters.
Forever Fae delivers a captivating blend of romance and fantasy. Calista’s journey as a reluctant heroine is compelling, and the chemistry between her, Merrick, and Ryder adds delicious tension. The plot balances steamy romance with high-stakes danger, though some tropes feel familiar. L.P. Dover’s writing immerses you in the Fae world, making this a solid start to the series. A must-read for fantasy romance fans!
mance, Dover has captivated readers with her versatile storytelling, complex characters, and emotionally charged plots that span everything from gripping mysteries to magical realms. Her ability to transition seamlessly between steamy thrillers, heartfelt beach romances, and enchanting tales of fae and shifters speaks to a rare kind of creative freedom that few authors dare to explore.
by LCarly Preston London
.P. Dover’s stories are as irresistible as a glass of Southern sweet tea—full of flavor, heart, and a little bit of kick. A powerhouse in the world of romantic suspense and fantasy ro-
have.
How has living in the South influenced the themes or characters in your novels?
The food! I love to bring up cooking in my books, especially down-home cooking. When I’m not writing, I’m in the kitchen; I love to cook. We could live off fried chicken, homemade biscuits, and sweet tea. Also, I love pickled vegetables. A lot of my characters mention that kind of stuff in my books. But other than that, I don’t really make my characters sound southern. I will never forget being at a book signing, and there was a woman who came up to me and was shocked I had all my teeth. I’m assuming she figured all people from the south were country folks who didn’t know how to brush. I worked in dentistry for many years before I became a writer. So, after that, I guess you can say it made me wonder if more people thought that way. That’s why I decided to keep my books neutral and not put too much emphasis on the setting being in the South.
Which character that you've written do you feel the most connected to, and why?
I would have to say Everleigh, in my novel
Hide Away by the Sea, is the one I connected to the most. Yes, the book is a love story between Everleigh and Jensen, but the love between them is not why I feel connected to her. There’s a whole other intriguing storyline that revolves around Everleigh and her grandmother. They were super close in the book, just like I was with mine. Everleigh confided in her grandmother, and they shared many secrets, with some secrets being hidden. It was nice being able to base Everleigh’s grandmother on my own and bring her memory back to life.
How was the experience of co-writing a children’s book with your daughter different from your other writing projects?
Oh wow, it was completely different. First, it was a blast being able to write something with my daughter and bring her into the world of writing.
With each book, she invites us into a world whe- re love runs deep, danger lurks around the corner, and characters fight not only for survival—but
for connection, redemption, and second chances. Whether she’s crafting an intense romance with an undercover FBI cowboy, conjuring dragon shifters in a magical realm, or collaborating with her daughter on a whimsical children’s story, Dover writes with a warmth and passion that leaps off the page. In this exclusive interview, the beloved author opens up about her Southern roots, the characters closest to her heart, and the writing process that fuels her genre-crossing success. Get ready to fall even deeper in love with the woman behind the stories.
What initially inspired you to start writing romantic suspense and romantic comedy?
My love of reading inspired me, but there’s
also another reason. I could read an entire novel
in a day. Guess you can say it was an addiction. Writing a book never crossed my mind during
my intense reading phase. At least, not until I got curious and began looking up the authors of the books I was reading; most of them were indie authors. Talking to several of them online about their writing process gave me the courage to try it on my own. My imagination has always been wild, and I knew I could create some amazing stories. If it weren’t for the encouragement of those authors, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I