Fiction vs Nonfiction

Thank you CTR for allowing me this opportunity to share a few thoughts with readers about myself and my debut romance title, REUNION OF SOULS.

It is true that I have been writing primarily nonfiction over the last ten years. When I first began writing, however, it was exclusively genre fiction, which requires a unique skill set. Nonfiction involves much more expository writing, and you have to be clear and concise with the information you pass along. This contrasts sharply with fiction, where a writer has much more flexibility and creative license. Two entirely different approaches to writing, to be sure. However, having done both for so long makes it easier for me to transition from one to the other.

For me, the most challenging aspect in writing REUNION OF SOULS, an all-out romance, was capturing the emotions and thoughts of the female protagonist in the story in a way that was believable and relatable, particularly to female readers. I think the one big advantage I had goes back once again to all my nonfiction titles, which were written predominantly with women. This has given me a unique perspective in understanding how a woman relates to a topic and how differently they externalize their experiences compared with that of a man. In REUNION OF SOULS, I drew from these previous writing projects to help tell the story of a young woman who does not want to let the festering love she has for a former high school classmate wither on the vine without giving it a chance to grow into something beautiful and lasting.

It was quite surprising to me how natural it was to write for a woman. I found that the emotions of love and how they are felt are the same for both men and women, but how they are expressed is where the difference lies. It is no small distinction, but my female co-authors from previous books have taught me a lot and I couldn’t have written REUNION OF SOULS without their influence.

For these women, I must extend my heartfelt gratitude, and to all the CTR readers, I hope you enjoy REUNION OF SOULS, a story I would not have been able to create without them.