L. P. Dover Shares Her Journey Through Romance, Suspense, and Magical Worlds

PHOTO: Bestselling author L. P. Dover, known for her heartfelt stories and genre-spanning novels, brings Southern charm and imagination to every book.

Bestselling Author Talks Southern Roots, Genre-Hopping, and the Heart Behind Her Stories

L. P. Dover discusses her inspiration, writing process, love for multiple genres, Southern influence, and emotional storytelling. She opens up about co-writing with her daughter and her most meaningful characters.

L. P. Dover’s stories are as irresistible as a glass of Southern sweet tea—full of flavor, heart, and a little bit of kick. A powerhouse in the world of romantic suspense and fantasy romance, Dover has captivated readers with her versatile storytelling, complex characters, and emotionally charged plots that span everything from gripping mysteries to magical realms. Her ability to transition seamlessly between steamy thrillers, heartfelt beach romances, and enchanting tales of fae and shifters speaks to a rare kind of creative freedom that few authors dare to explore.

With each book, she invites us into a world where love runs deep, danger lurks around the corner, and characters fight not only for survival—but for connection, redemption, and second chances. Whether she’s crafting an intense romance with an undercover FBI cowboy, conjuring dragon shifters in a magical realm, or collaborating with her daughter on a whimsical children’s story, Dover writes with a warmth and passion that leaps off the page. In this exclusive interview, the beloved author opens up about her Southern roots, the characters closest to her heart, and the writing process that fuels her genre-crossing success. Get ready to fall even deeper in love with the woman behind the stories.

L. P. Dover masterfully blends passion, suspense, and imagination, creating unforgettable stories that enchant readers across romance, fantasy, and beyond.

What initially inspired you to start writing romantic suspense and romantic comedy?

My love of reading inspired me, but there’s also another reason. I could read an entire novel in a day. Guess you can say it was an addiction. Writing a book never crossed my mind during my intense reading phase. At least, not until I got curious and began looking up the authors of the books I was reading; most of them were indie authors. Talking to several of them online about their writing process gave me the courage to try it on my own. My imagination has always been wild, and I knew I could create some amazing stories. If it weren’t for the encouragement of those authors, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish what I have.

How has living in the South influenced the themes or characters in your novels?

The food! I love to bring up cooking in my books, especially down-home cooking. When I’m not writing, I’m in the kitchen; I love to cook. We could live off fried chicken, homemade biscuits, and sweet tea. Also, I love pickled vegetables. A lot of my characters mention that kind of stuff in my books. But other than that, I don’t really make my characters sound southern. I will never forget being at a book signing, and there was a woman who came up to me and was shocked I had all my teeth. I’m assuming she figured all people from the south were country folks who didn’t know how to brush. I worked in dentistry for many years before I became a writer. So, after that, I guess you can say it made me wonder if more people thought that way. That’s why I decided to keep my books neutral and not put too much emphasis on the setting being in the South.

“My imagination has always been wild, and I knew I could create some amazing stories.” — L. P. Dover

Which character that you’ve written do you feel the most connected to, and why?

I would have to say Everleigh, in my novel Hide Away by the Sea, is the one I connected to the most. Yes, the book is a love story between Everleigh and Jensen, but the love between them is not why I feel connected to her. There’s a whole other intriguing storyline that revolves around Everleigh and her grandmother. They were super close in the book, just like I was with mine. Everleigh confided in her grandmother, and they shared many secrets, with some secrets being hidden. It was nice being able to base Everleigh’s grandmother on my own and bring her memory back to life.

How was the experience of co-writing a children’s book with your daughter different from your other writing projects?

Oh wow, it was completely different. First, it was a blast being able to write something with my daughter and bring her into the world of writing. Second, being able to write a light-hearted story about faeries and unicorns gave me a break from my usual gritty suspense. And third (this is the best part), we got to have illustrations made that brought our book to life. Seeing Anna-Grace’s delighted face when our illustrator would send us a new sketch will forever stay ingrained in my mind.

What draws you to fantasy elements like the fae and shapeshifters in your series?

Before I started writing, all I would read were fantasy/paranormal books. Reading about magic and otherworldly things gave me an escape from reality. So, when I contemplated the idea of publishing a novel, I knew I had to write about fae and shifters.

“I only work on one book at a time.” — L. P. Dover

How do you balance writing across different genres like romantic suspense, fantasy, and MMA-themed romance?

This is easy. I only work on one book at a time. When my mind is focused on one storyline, I have to write that until I’m done.

What challenges have you faced in maintaining long-running series such as “Royal Shifters” or “Second Chances”?

Timelines and details! Writing the first couple of books wasn’t so bad, but the further I got into the series, the more mind-blowing it was how much I couldn’t remember. In the end, I went back through all the previous books and made a character bible where I describe each character and what happens in each chapter to keep my timelines straight.

How do you approach developing the intense emotional connections between your characters?

With each book I write, I try to make each couple’s connection different. I like for them to be drawn to each other in ways that are not the same as any of my other stories. That’s why I always make a character log before I start the book on who my characters are and what their flaws are. That way, I can figure out what it’s going to take for their walls to break.

“Do it! Go with the flow and write what you want.” — L. P. Dover

What is one book of yours that you feel newcomers should start with to really get to know your style? This is a super hard question. I’m going to have to answer this with THREE different books. For the readers who love all things steamy and suspenseful, I’d have to say Roped In would be a good choice. It involves a sexy undercover FBI cowboy, the mafia, and lots of danger. It’s a book that’ll definitely keep you on your toes and guessing what’s going to happen next. Not to mention, it’s packed full of steaminess. Then, for the fantasy lovers, I highly recommend Forever Fae, which is the first book in my Forever Fae series. You’ll get royalty, magic, danger, suspense, and dragon shifters all in one story. And lastly, for the readers who like their stories clean and heartwarming, I’d have to say they’d need to read Hide Away by the Sea. It’s a clean beach romance with secrets, intrigue, and a touch of suspense.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write across multiple genres?

Do it! Go with the flow and write what you want. It’s exciting to write about different things without being stuck on one genre. Being able to write about faeries and shifters one day and switch to sexy undercover FBI agents the next is fun.