In this episode, Dana and I talk about Queer Joy Romance and what draws her to the genre. We also deep dive into her publishing journey.
About Dana
Dana Hawkins is a queer mom of three humans and one Saint Bernard. When not searching the country for the perfect cup of piping hot Americano, she spends her time chasing her kids and rewatching ’90s movies with her spouse. After living for twenty years in Seattle, she recently relocated her family back to her hometown in Minnesota. She is a huge romance-genre book nerd and borderline obsessed with happy-ever-afters.
What We Discuss
- Her upcoming debut Not in The Plan.
- Writing diverse characters and using sensitivity readers.
- Using side characters in multiple novels.
- Her experience with Storm Publishing.
- Her querying experience.
Some of Dana’s Favorite Romance Authors
Not in the Plan
Free-spirited coffee shop owner meets uptight coffee addict. Is an opposites-attract match brewing… or burning?
Crushed under the weight of writer’s block and a looming deadline, Mack escapes from New York to Seattle. She meets Charlie, a beautiful, generous, nearly bankrupt coffee shop owner recovering from heartbreak. For the first time, Mack has a muse. And then Mack starts using Charlie’s private stories in her novel…
When a storm traps Mack and Charlie in the coffee shop, they share a mind-bending, knee-shaking kiss. But Charlie is an eternal optimist who sleeps with fairy-lights on, while Mack is an ironing-at-5am worrier who sleeps with… everyone. They could never turn this chemistry into something real, right?
And if Charlie finds out what Mack has been doing, turning Charlie’s most intimate secrets into a juicy page-turner, will they even have a chance to try?
A swoony, steamy queer romcom perfect for fans of Ashley Herring Blake, Casey McQuiston, and Alexis Hall.
Amy Nielsen 
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