Kentlands inspired setting in women's fiction novel

Women’s fiction novel at Gaithersburg Book Festival depicts

Maryland life, football, and Chesapeake version of Kentlands

When a realtor showed Loriann Oberlin and family new homes back in 2001—the year she remarried and established roots in Gaithersburg, one of the first homes was in the Kentlands. “While we settled into a nearby neighborhood, we grew accus­tomed to running errands and dining in this nearby work/life community,” Loriann reports. “Years later when characters in my second novel needed new housing—I thought YES—a Chesapeake version of the Kentlands! I named it Shore Landings.”

The family lived and later she worked nearby in Quince Orchard Medical Park. Loriann Oberlin still maintains the site as one of two private practice offices as a therapist. In 2012, when sons were off in college, the family packed up and moved just across the Bay Bridge for a change in lifestyle.

“I grew up around water spending three seasons each year at Deep Creek Lake,” she reports. “After we moved, I joined a neighborhood book club, got involved in the Eastern Shore Writers Association, and decided to create a pen name and to revisit the idea of a first novel.” A novel, she admits she once trashed into the Montgomery County recycle bin prior to her move.

Fortunately, Loriann explains, a friend salvaged her floppy drive backup, and she reinvented it as The Maryland Shores novel series, writing it under a symbolic pen name Lauren Monroe (Monroe short for Monroeville, where she spent years as a non-fiction writer).

Monroe published Letting Go: Book One of The Maryland Shores last spring as a women’s fiction/contemporary love story set with 2002 tension as a backdrop. “We moved here right around 9-11 so not only do I remember that horrific day and aftermath,” she reports, “but also the three weeks of ducking to pump gas and look out for white boxed trucks during the sniper terror. My first novel needed an anxiety-induced setting, and for sure, that was one such time.”

Second Chances: Book Two of The Maryland Shores takes place on both the Western and Eastern Shores, and the novel ends up in Ocean City. The novel’s male lead suffers tragedy in his life, and the heroine reels from marital disaster that she never saw coming. Among Oberlin’s non-fiction titles is Surviving Separation and Divorce, which the author credits for aiding her research here.

The main characters are each diehard football fans—only for rival teams. “Don’t worry,” the author reports, “there are Redskins, Ravens and Steelers fans in my series. It was a hoot to write, and some of my bleeding-purple friends taught me about the history of losing their beloved Colts and the emo­tional impact that had. Baltimore needed a team. It’s great for people to have team loyalty they are passionate about.”

Both novels depict the lingo from Pittsburgh and Baltimore as well as male friendship. Thus, Monroe writes her characters razzing each other as guys do over sports, dialect, and women. “The Steelers-Ravens rivalry exists, and you get a completely different perspective living out of state. You hear some trash talk on both sides,” she reports. “I don’t believe that’s necessary, but it’s real…and I write real. I think readers also appreciate that my characters struggle with love, loss, parenting, and maintaining careers. I don’t like to write extreme wealth or privilege, and I didn’t aim for the great American novel either. Reading this is hopefully relaxing and fun.”

Monroe’s second novel lent itself to a historic snowstorm and a Chesapeake hurricane as she picked up where the first book left off. That the story ends in Ocean City, where plenty of people flock each summer should also give readers something in common with the characters.”

Oberlin/Monroe debuts her second novel—and will have copies of Book One available, too­—at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 16 in Old Towne. She will appear as part of the Eastern Shore Writers Association (ESWA) table, and be on hand to chat with readers and those curious how she independently published this series after years of having her non-fiction released by traditional publishers.

“This is definitely a challenging endeavor creatively. I’m growing and learning every day,” she says. “It’s made me a much better writer, and I love it when fans tell me they did nothing else but read my novel!”

At the Gaithersburg Book Festival she will sign copies of Second Chances: Book Two ahead of its official launch this month. Those wishing to use their Amazon accounts will be able to scan QR codes to pre-order the title.

Letting Go: Book One of The Maryland Shores, which starts off the series, is available on Kindle, in paperback on Amazon and via other distribution channels at select stores.

The author will also sign copies for bridal shower, graduation or other gifts when contacted through www.laurenmonroenovels.com or via her Facebook page.

Second Chances: Book Two of The Maryland Shores by Lauren Monroe

$3.99 eBook on Kindle/ISBN: 978-0-9912822-2-7

$15.99 Paperback/291 pages/ISBN: 978-0-9912822-3-4

Shore Thing Publishing • www.facebook.com/lauren.monroe.novels

Twitter: @LaurnMonroe • Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/novelistlaurenm • Author page on Goodreads