My Journey with Lonely Dove

I embarked on a writer’s journey over four years ago when I started writing the first draft of my novel, Lonely Dove.

The book is about a woman who receives visions that send her on a hunt for her soulmate. Through the search, she finds herself confronting many of her past relationships. More than a love story, it is a journey of self-discovery and self-development, as the protagonist learns profound life lessons. The book is peppered with spiritual information and esoteric elements, that speak of our connection with each other and with the universe.

I wrote the first draft of the novel in January 2018, and I did it simply to know if I had it in me to write a novel. I completed the second draft the following year, adding flesh and meat to my original skeleton. I worked on several other drafts…so many that I lost count.

I also worked with a writing coach and at least three editors before I came to a version that I was comfortable showing to others, and that a publisher was interested in. The novel is being published through Koehler Books on September 27, 2022.

As the drafts of Lonely Dove evolved, I realized it was important to speak about culture, and in particular, the immigrant story. Anji, the protagonist, is of Indian origin, yet she was born in Colombia, and resides in New York City.

Her background roughly reflects mine, although in different ways, as I was born in Mexico, raised in Colombia. I spent a lot of time in New York but only lived there for one year, and that was after college. I have lived in the United States for many years but I moved around a lot—I have moved to a new city every two to five years. I also travel extensively, living out of a suitcase for weeks or months at a time.

Because of this, I found that it was important to weave in a multi-cultural aspect into Lonely Dove, as Anji’s journey reflects the stories of so many people who have migrated to other countries and face challenges and opportunities as they navigate defining their identity, maintaining cultural traditions, and embracing new ones.

This aspect of the story was celebrated by the 2022 American Fiction Awards who made Lonely Dove a finalist for Multicultural Fiction.

Give Lonely Dove a chance. It is a unique story that will capture your heart.