Meet Romance Author Delsora Lowe
~ Delsora Lowe -On Writing Full-Time ~
Delsora Lowe writes contemporary and western-set romances.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’m a full-time writer…finally, after working in many occupations over the years. All in people-pleasing related positions in hospitality, alumni relations and admissions, and event-planning. I’m a mom and grandmother (my favorite “occupation,” for sure). I’m a big-city gal turned small town inhabitant. As a kid, I spent years living overseas. And summers in a rustic cabin overlooking a lake in the Adirondacks, at the beach in a small-town in Delaware, and at my grandmother’s in a tiny town in New York state. I enjoy the city I was brought up in and visit as often as possible, but I love small-towns. Hence my penchant for writing about small-town heroines and heroes.
What are some of your favorite things?
As noted above, my grandsons are my absolutely favorite thing. But that is probably a given. I do love dark chocolate, every kind of cheese on the planet, and occasionally a sip of Scotch. Tea (I have cupboards full, because you must match your tea to your mood and season). Tulips and Calla lilies, purple and peach are my favorite flower colors. I LOVE to cook. My grandmother was an incredible cook, and both my parents were great cooks. I used to cater. To me cooking is a bit like writing a story—a creative process. Start with an idea and main ingredients, then throw in a bit of this and that. You do have to taste and revise the seasonings until it is perfect, write down the recipe, and continue to tweak some more each time you make it. Yup, just like writing and editing a book.
Is writing something that comes easy to you or not?
Writing the first rough draft is usually easier, as long as I can spend the time in big chunks and keep at it day after day. When I only have time to write one or two days a week, it is very hard. Almost like starting over each time you pull up the work in progress. Now editing—that is the hardest, pull-out-my-hair part. And usually it takes me about three times as long to work on editing, with lots of help from my critique partners and editor, as it does the first draft.
Do you ever experience writer’s block?
There are times when I lack the energy to be creative. Life has its up and downs, so it is natural that the brain may be concentrating on life’s problems or celebrations or day-to-day work and chores. Those days that tire you out. Then, yes, it is hard to write. I have gone for months without writing. In the last few years, I have tried to make myself sit down daily and write. Some days I know I have a lot going on, and I may only write one hundred words. But if I keep the momentum up, moving forward, whether it is one hundred or three thousand words, I can get through those days when the brain just refuses to be creative. I plan days off and I try to plan days when I will do writing-related things, like blogs and website updates and Facebook posts. But truthfully, some days are a lot harder than others. And some weeks fly by and I write a ton every day.
How did you choose the genre you write in?
I enjoy reading all types of books. I love reading historical romance, but I know it is not something I could write. I am in awe of authors 
who write historical or paranormal. But I seem to gravitate toward reading a lot of small-town and contemporary westerns romances. And that is also what I love to write, whether on the coast of Maine, the country side in Vermont or the Adirondacks, or the mountains of Colorado.
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
As a writer, you put yourself out there for the world to see. Sometimes it is tough. You open yourself up to criticism, every time you send a manuscript to an editor or agent, and every time you publish a book, and have no clue who is reading it or what they think. You learn to grow a tough skin, and understand that what you write is not for everyone to love. But you do hope enough readers will like or, better yet, love what you put your heart and soul into writing. I have great critique partners, who do not hold back. So you learn to take criticism as long as it is constructive—and theirs always is helpful and right on. I had one rejection where the editor said, that although I had good writing form, they didn’t even want to finish reading it because they hated both my hero and heroine. I still reread that rejection, and I read it aloud to writing students as an example. I then let the students know that at the same time, another editor really liked the story and offered me constructive feedback. It puts things in perspective, that not everyone will like what you write or do in life. And that as long as you like it, move forward and embrace your own work.
As for compliments, those are always welcome, and puff me up for about ten minutes, until I sit down and face my awful first draft ?. The other day, I called my small-town, family-owned, home and car insurance company to ask a question. Immediately, the person who answered asked, “Are you still writing.” I told her about my new book and she said she’d let the rest of the office know and that she still had my card on her desk. I gave her that card almost two years ago. I’m still grinning. And now you know why I love writing about small towns. Recently, I received my first fan mail asking when the next book would come out. Wow, someone I did not know or was not related to, actually bought my book. What fun!
What project are you working on now or what book will be next?
I just released The Prince’s Son, a book I won several awards for several years ago. I have rewritten it several times, and finally released it. 
It is a book of my heart, since the nugget of an idea for the book came from my daughter’s experience teaching little kids skiing in Colorado. The scenery is from my memories of visiting her when she lived in the mountains. And the idea for the prince came when my daughter pointed out that over a hill at a base of a mountain was a home owned by foreign royalty. I plan to release book two next spring. In it is a scene of a cattle-drive down the main street of the small-town that my daughter lived in. The idea to have my hero raise organic beef came from not only a ranch near my daughter, but from working at a science-based college in Maine in an area that has many organic farmers. I plan to release a Christmas book about a Vermont inn, hopefully this year. And I am editing another small-town, Maine coast, sweet novella series. If only there were more hours in the day, I could get all these books out faster…but, alas…
Zara, thank you for having me on your blog.
The Prince’s Son by Delsora Lowe
The Cowboys of Mineral Springs, Book 1
A first meet, royalty and the nanny romance between a self-exiled prince with a royal chip on his shoulders and the local rancher’s daughter who rails against any man who tries to tell her what to do. When she tries to tell the prince how to raise his son, tempers flare and sparks fly.
Ari Orula, a prince with a royal chip on his shoulders, has sworn off women.
Carla Peters, the rancher’s daughter, has big dreams and it doesn’t include listening to her dad, big brothers, or the new prince in town.
When the prince finds himself in dire straits and must find a nanny pronto, the last person he wants is his son’s know-it-all ski teacher who insinuates he has a lot to learn about fatherhood.
The money the prince offers Carla for two weeks as a nanny will put a big dent in the cost of renovations for her new school, her life’s dream. Does she dare risk working for the rancher her brothers think is trying to destroy their livelihood?
Despite best laid plans, two people at odds are brought together to rescue a child. At risk of alienating her family, Carla accepts the position. At risk of melting his stone-cold heart, Ari hires the rancher’s daughter.
Will the sparks that fly torch Carla’s dreams and inflame Ari’s resolve, or ignite an everlasting love?
The Prince’s Son
AMAZON | B&N
The Starlight Grille, A Serenity Harbor Maine Collection
AMAZON | BOOKS2READ
Meet Delsora Lowe
Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine ~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~
Lowe’s family visits to Colorado are the inspiration for an upcoming contemporary western series, Cowboys of Mineral Springs, and book one released in April 2019. Her daughter’s wedding and her son’s home, both on the coast of Maine, provided plentiful ideas for the Starlight Grille series (released in 2017 and 2018). She has published four short romance stories in Woman’s World magazine.
Author FB Page: fb.me/delsoraloweauthor
Author Website: www.delsoralowe.com
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2nRx1Bs
Books2Read Author Page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
Author Newsletter signup (only sent out when there is news): http://www.delsoralowe.com/contact.html
Author Blog: http://www.delsoralowe.com/blog
For readers, what is your favorite setting for a romance, no matter the genre?
I will be looking forward to hearing from you.
Post your questions and comments below.
Cool
Hi Louise, thanks for dropping by. – tried to give you a thumbs up, but it wouldn’t go through for me 🙂
Great interview, Delsora. My favorite setting is the neighborhoods of New York City, especially those of Brooklyn and Queens in whose churches I worked.
Hi Anna, thanks for stopping by. I can see why those neighborhoods would be inspiring for you. I grew up in Washington, D.C. and loved al the neighborhoods there, I do occasionally use D.C. as a setting in my books. It’s fun to write about what you know so well, because you can add so many details to the story.
Your writing journey sounds like mine. Many, many ups and downs. I wrote one western, but it was a historical. I was a western junkie when I was a kid. Best on your book!
Ilona – sorry to not get back to you sooner. I was on the road yesterday to a writer’s conference. I think the ups and downs seem to be the name of the game these days. I really enjoy historical anything, including westerns. Who knows, maybe you’ll write another one soon. It sounds like it is a subject of your heart 🙂
Hi Delsora, great interview! My favourite setting is also a small town, and to stay true to my heritage as a fisherman’s granddaughter, it needs to be at the ocean.
Luanna – thanks for stopping by. I hear you on ocean / coastal settings in small town. I’m partial to those too. One of these days, I’ll write a book on the coast of Delaware where I spent my summers as a kid. I have written two Adirondack mountains books (still to see the light of day) that are on a lake in a “tiny” town. Love the water. And I might add, I loved your latest book, Love and Redemption, which takes place near the water in Canada. Lots of fishing industry references in that book.
Great interview. I’d have to say my favorite setting for a romance is Maine!
I agree, Susan. I do love settings in Maine, as my first three books are in Maine (as well, as many of my written, but still unpublished books.) But I also love Colorado with the mountains. Probably because my daughter and grandsons are there 🙂 Plus it is so different from coastal living in Maine. How to chose?!?!?
Thank you, Zara, for making these interesting interviews possible. Delsora, how to you rid yourself of distractions so you can write for days at a time? “Shiny objects” are always drawing my attention away.
Hi C.F. – Me too 🙂 I can totally relate. Especially if there is a good Hallmark movie on. To keep on track, I set annual goals and report in weekly to a goals group, plus I have another daily check-in group with other authors. So once I state my goals to others at the beginning of the week or that morning, in the back of my head, I know I need to stay with it. I also try to plan time off. For example, today, with the blog, I know I’ll be distracted on and off, so my goal is to get what I can done and not feel bad if I get nothing done. At the beginning of the week, I hoped to do a quick read-through of book two, before I start revisions. But realistically, I know it won’t happen before I go to my conference tomorrow. I also use a timer and work in spurts on days I know I have other obligations. And I try to stay off the internet in the morning until I get at least an hour or two of work done. I use whatever little tricks I can think of. Rewards are good. Get that chapter cleaned up and edited and eat a piece of chocolate 🙂 But mostly what works for me is peer pressure 🙂 Good luck avoiding shiny objects.
Great interview ladies!
Thanks for stopping by, Nina. It’s always fun and a challenge to answer someone else’s questions. Ands Zara has some great ones to choose from They really make you think 🙂
Good morning, Zara – I am so excited to be here today. I’ll be popping in throughout the day. In the meantime, I am working on edits for book two of the Cowboys of Mineral Springs and packing for a writers conference this weekend. I hope everyone has a great day!