Writing Through Grief: The Journey of Higher Love
In November 2021, I embarked on my fourth novel, Higher Love, during the whirlwind of NaNoWriMo, fueled by the ambition to release it by early 2023. That dream, however, was deferred by life’s relentless challenges—relocation, loss, and profound grief. After a long, difficult road, Higher Love finally met readers on May 12, 2025. The delays were not born of idleness but of a series of trials that tested my resilience and, ultimately, shaped the soul of this book.
The first detour came in 2022 when I made the bold decision to part ways with a small press that had published my first two novels. Reclaiming the rights to Sweet Jane and Just One Look was empowering, but it thrust me into the uncharted waters of self-publishing. Despite my years in the writing world, the learning curve was formidable. I wrestled with formatting software, navigated the intricacies of publishing platforms, and poured countless hours into making certain my novels met professional standards. By September, I had successfully rereleased Sweet Jane, Just One Look, and my third novel, I’ll Be Seeing You. This milestone was a triumph, but it consumed time and energy I had hoped to dedicate to Higher Love. With my backlist secured, I turned my focus to the new manuscript, eager to bring it to life.
However, life had other plans. In fall 2023, my husband and I made the difficult decision to sell our Texas Hill Country ranch, a place where rolling hills and stunning views of native wildlife had long driven my creativity. The move to a new home near San Antonio, closer to family, was practical but deeply unsettling. The relocation disrupted my writing rhythm, leaving me disconnected from my craft. As I struggled to settle into our new home, a family crisis occurred, demanding my attention and draining my emotional reserves. Then, in a heartbreaking blow, one of my beloved rescue dogs passed away. The grief was visceral, a heavy ache that lingered in the quiet moments and made writing feel impossible.
Determined to return to my writing, I rejoined a critique group in early 2024, hoping their feedback would revive my momentum. I was just finding my footing when the deepest loss of all struck: my only sister, Jeanne, died after a brief, brutal battle with cancer. Jeanne was more than a sister; she was my confidante, the keeper of our shared history, and my tether to our parents, who had passed in 2006. Our long, heartfelt phone calls—filled with laughter, memories, and mutual support—had been a lifeline. Her death left a gaping void, and grief became an unpredictable companion, surfacing in quiet moments, even during my solitary swims at the gym. The manuscript for Higher Love sat untouched, its pages a reminder of a story I wasn’t sure I could finish.
For months, I couldn’t write. How do you create through such loss? The answer, I learned, is that you don’t—not immediately. But writing has always been my way of making sense of the human condition, of exploring love, loss, and the resilience that carries us forward. Months after Jeanne’s death, I resumed Higher Love, not only for myself but for her. I returned to my critique group, leaned on the wisdom of my editor, and sought feedback from beta readers. With their support, I dove into revisions, pouring my grief and love into every page. The process was arduous, but it was also healing. Each word became a step toward honoring Jeanne’s memory.
The novel’s title, inspired by Stevie Winwood’s song—a favorite of Jeanne’s—took on new meaning. Higher Love is more than a story; it’s a reflection of the selfless, spiritual love Jeanne embodied. She poured that love into her five children, eleven grandchildren, and countless others whose lives she touched. Her legacy is one of generosity and connection, a love that reaches for something deeper, something divine. It’s fitting, then, that Higher Love is dedicated to her, a testament to the enduring power of her spirit.
This book is more than a novel; it’s a chronicle of survival, a story forged in the crucible of loss and tempered by resilience. Writing Higher Love taught me that grief, though heavy, can coexist with purpose. It reminded me that love—whether for a sister or a story—can guide us through the darkest seasons. As Higher Love meets the world, I hope it resonates with readers as deeply as Jeanne’s legacy resonates with me. Her love, like this story, is a light that endures.
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HIGHER LOVE
Higher Love—a captivating new novel from Joanne Kukanza Easley, the multi-award-winning author of Sweet Jane, Just One Look, and I’ll Be Seeing You.
Set against the eclectic backdrop of Austin, Texas, in 1986, Higher Love introduces sixteen-year-old Stephanie, a teenager scarred by a turbulent past, who steps into the quiet life of sixty-two-year-old Lauren, her uncanny resemblance cracking open a buried past. Stephanie claims to be the granddaughter Lauren never knew—the daughter of the child she relinquished for adoption forty-five years earlier. Her arrival disrupts Lauren’s carefully rebuilt world, already strained by her recent remarriage to Brett after years of separation. Reeling from the revelation that her adoptive grandmother hid the truth about her mother’s adoption, Stephanie carries the weight of tragedy and self-harm, yet her vulnerability forges an unexpected, fragile bond with Lauren and Brett, two people grappling with their own regrets.
As Stephanie integrates into their lives, her aspirations for college are shattered when the 1987 stock market crash obliterates her trust fund, leaving her future in jeopardy. For Lauren, haunted by the loss of her child decades earlier, Stephanie represents a chance to rewrite her story. Fueled by fierce, unconditional love, Lauren sacrifices her financial security and emotional reserves to give Stephanie a path forward only to face a bittersweet twist that echoes the past and changes everything, reshaping their understanding of family, trust, and forgiveness in profound, lasting ways.
Higher Love is a sweeping, heart-wrenching family drama that explores the enduring weight of secrets and the transformative power of love. Through its richly drawn characters, the story delves into the courage it takes to face painful truths, the resilience found in embracing the present, and the unexpected joy of building a family from broken pieces. At its core, Higher Love celebrates the messy, redemptive beauty of human relationships, delivering a deeply moving tale of loss, healing, and the unbreakable bonds that define us.
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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, On Writing
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