A Deep Drive into this Author’s
Life and Writing Journey
Colleen Hoover’s transformative journey sparks literary brilliance, skyrocketing with unprecedented speed, propelling her from an aspiring writer to a celebrated author. She is a woman who truly treasures how her captivating stories touch the hearts of millions around the world. She began showing interest in writing at age 4, and it wasn’t long before she was reading her short stories for all her friends and family.
Colleen is very open when talking about her upbringing. Colleen’s dad was a truck driver and her mom was a house cleaner. Her father was physically violent towards her mother, and the couple separated while she was very young. Her mother subsequently remarried, and the family faced financial difficulties while living in a small Stiletto Texas home and managing a dairy farm. Despite the issues she faced growing up, she fondly looks back at her time on the dairy farm as warm and loving family memories.
While attending Saltillo High School, Colleen headed her school newspaper, but since there were only 12 people in her graduating class, it was generally one page because there wasn’t much to report. By tenth grade her English teachers allowed her to do her “own thing” as they saw her writing blossom and encouraged her to enter state-wide writing contests.
Before becoming an author, Colleen had a different career path where she worked as a social worker and a teacher. She obtained a degree in Social Work from Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2004 and worked as a social worker for several years. Later on, she transitioned into teaching Kindergarten. While she was working as a teacher, she started writing her first novel, “Slammed,” as a way to cope with the stress of her job.
Colleen humbly states it was good timing and luck as to how her very first book, which was self-published on Amazon, exploded her career right from the start. She believes it was Tik Tok and social media and the timing of COVID that launched her books into the homes of millions of Americans.
Colleen is so much more than just an American romantic novelist. She currently works with three publishing companies giving her the flexibility to write more than one genre. Colleen’s topics vary as she jumps from young romance to sexual assault – to tackling physical and mental health issues, domestic abuse, miscarriage, the supernatural, and even a mystery thriller, Verity. She continues to brand out into new genres due to her love of readers that all have a different favorite book from her collection. Colleen has shared her connection to certain themes in her writing. She has openly discussed her father’s abuse towards her mother, and has revealed that her mother served as an inspiration for the novel “It Ends With Us.” Colleen’s willingness to constantly challenge her writing is exactly why this impressive woman has all her fans sitting on the edge of their seat awaiting her next book to unfold.
Colleen frequently shares with her readers that her writing techniques are quite sporadic. When Colleen is asked what her secret rituals are for writing best-selling books, her answer is simple… She must wear a new pair of socks every writing session to inspire new thoughts and ideas. More importantly, she never forces her writing with set times and locations and often admits she isn’t an organized writer. She can write up to 4x the length of each book before narrowing down the storyline while maintaining patience and dedication to find the spark in a sentence, paragraph, or page that leaps out and lets her creativity flow. Her little sister is her first editor even before it heads off to be reviewed. She is also open to stating that she hits creative lulls and combats them by becoming inspired by various arts. Whether it’s through her reading a new book, listening to sad songs while driving, or watching a movie next to her husband, she is always trying to bring a new idea to light for her next book. Colleen also lovingly states her husband, Heath, as “Mr. Everything”, after they met at 16 years old and were married by 20. She notes that she is thankful for Heath who makes her job easier by helping raise their three boys, and by taking on many of the household chores which allows her to focus on her passion for writing.
Colleen also has a strong passion for helping others through a non-profit subscription service: The Bookworm Box. In 2015, Colleen and her sisters teamed together to sell donated signed books and in turn, donate all the proceeds to a multitude of charities. Little did they know, Book Worm Box, would quickly support over 400+ charities, 500+ authors, and over 1.5 million dollars donated.
Looking toward the near future:
Colleen recently announced on Instagram, which actors will be starring in a film based on her romance novel “It Ends With Us”. The reveal ignites strong emotions from Colleen as she reiterates how her mother was the inspiration for her book and now a movie. After reading the script, being on set, and watching some of the movie unfold, Colleen feels that all her fans are going to be extremely happy. The movie includes director and lead actor Justin Baldoni playing Ryle, actor Brandon Sklenar as Atlas Corrigan and the character of sweet Lily Bloom will be played by Blake Likely. Colleen and her devoted fans eagerly await for the movie to come out sometime in 2024.
Her upcoming book: Too Late, is being promoted on social media as a dark thriller, shocking page-turner and will be available to read on June 27, 2023. The book appears to be controversial as it stirs up some uncomfortable, intense emotions. It’s a psychological suspense novel of obsession and dangerous love as the dark past of protagonist Sloan is forced to stay in a corrupt relationship with Asa Jackson to protect her little brother’s needs.
In the forward, Colleen explained that she chose to release this novel under moniker C. Hoover instead of her full name, addressing the departure from her usual publications and acknowledging its darker tone.
Colleen Hoover has become a best-selling author with her books touching the hearts of readers worldwide. Are you already an enthusiast of Colleen Hoover’s books?
If so, Books Release would be thrilled to hear your reviews and suggestions.
