New Release: Smokescreens and Hedges

I'm thrilled to share that my latest romance, Smokescreens and Hedges, is now available! This one has been quite a journey to bring to life, and I'm so excited for you to meet these characters.

What's It About?

Smokescreens and Hedges is a fake relationship romance set in an over-55s lifestyle village. Without giving too much away, it's about two people who find themselves in an arrangement that's supposed to be purely practical – but of course, the heart has other plans.

I've always been drawn to writing about older characters, and this book really leans into that. There's something wonderful about exploring romance at a stage of life when people know themselves better, have lived through experiences, and aren't afraid to be honest about what they want.

The Writing Journey

This book challenged me as a writer in some wonderful ways. My editor really pushed me to dig deeper into the emotional layers and show rather than tell the story. I tend to narrate in my head – both life and my stories – so stepping back to add in all those crucial details and emotions takes real effort for me.

One resource that was absolutely invaluable during the editing process was The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. If you're a writer, I can't recommend it highly enough. It breaks down emotions into physical representations, internal feelings, and how they might escalate or de-escalate. It really helped me bring more depth to my characters' emotional journeys.

The editing process also highlighted something about my writing that I'm working on – I tend to be conflict-avoidant in real life, and apparently, I write my characters the same way! It took my editor pointing this out for me to realize we needed to add in a different catalyst behind the breakup and really deepen the emotional stakes throughout the story.

Where to Find It

Smokescreens and Hedges is available now on Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited. If you're looking for a romance that celebrates love at any age, with characters who feel real and relatable, I hope you'll give it a try.

As always, if you read it, I'd be so grateful if you could leave a review. Reader reviews mean the world to indie authors like me, and they help other readers discover books they might love.

Thank you for following along on this writing journey with me. I can't wait to hear what you think of this one!

Happy reading,

Kerrie