Eden Prairie Author Hopes to Deliver a Message of Hope Through Latest Novel

By Rachel M. Anderson, Contributing Writer

(Eden Prairie, MN) - There are certain life experiences that leave a lasting impression—your wedding day, the birth of a child, and for more than 870-thousand American couples every year, the day they made the decision to divorce.  

For Calli Stockton, the decision was long overdue. When An Orchid Falls, the debut romance novel by Julia O. Greene begins, Calli has just received papers notifying her that a woman she doesn’t know has filed a claim for child support against her husband, Bennett Stockton. When Ben returns home from a business trip, Calli is waiting and confronts him. 

I thought we were past your affairs. I thought you had listened to the therapist. I thought we were going to get back to being partners in this marriage. Obviously I thought wrong.

Calli’s words were inspired by conversations the author has had with friends whose marriages fell apart due to infidelity. According to the United Nations, about 40 to 50 percent of marriages in the United States end in divorce, and infidelity is one of the more common reasons. Others include lack of commitment from one or both parties, arguing too much, abuse in the relationship, and simply being unprepared for marriage. 

“The story idea for this novel came from approximately the fourth person in my life who went through a divorce,” said Greene. “Some of the stories that she shared focused on the challenges she faced dealing with her children and going through the divorce at the same time.” 

In the novel, Calli is raising two sons—Jax and Kent. One of them has special needs, which makes the situation even more challenging. Not only does she have to come to terms with the fact that her marriage is over, she has to comfort a child who doesn’t do well with change. 

Right after the divorce becomes official, Calli’s friends take her out to Moretti’s to celebrate, and a chance meeting with the restaurant’s owner leads to a new beginning.

An Orchid Falls was written as part of the 2018 National Novel Writing Month challenge. After Greene finished the manuscript, she sent it off to an editor who worked with her to bring it to market. The book is now in production and scheduled for release in time for Valentine’s Day 2020. A sequel is in the works. 

Early reviews have been very favorable. Penny Leidecker says, “This is the first book I’ve read from Julia O. Greene and I’m so glad I did. This is a beautifully written second chance story for Callista Lindley… This book is not just a romance story. It deals with family and friends too. When you’re at your lowest, you always need family and friends.” 

For more information, go to Juliaogreene.com. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julia O. Greene is the pen name for Susan Stradiotto, who is typically a fantasy and speculative fiction author. As the material she writes doesn’t serve the romance audience. She decided to pay tribute to her grandmother in her contemporary fiction.

Susan lives in Eden Prairie, Minn., with her husband, three children and a Bernese Mountain Dog named Delaunay. Stories of all kinds are her passion, and she has always been a voracious reader, lover of words, and hoarder of books. Her infatuation with well-developed characters sometimes rivals relationships with real people.