Welcome Guest Author Jolene Navarro

by

When fiction reflects real life.

Hola from the back porch of my aunt’s Texas Hill Country ranch. My husband, cousin and I are listening to my nephew singing.

As a seventh-generation Texan from a long line of ranchers and farmers, it’s logical for my stories to explore the lives of those people I know. Using the setting that shaped me came naturally. Horses, dogs, cats, and various other animals are a part of my stories because they are a part of my life. The best thing about creating stories is I get to make sure everyone who deserves it gets a happy ending.

Life is too short and, at times, tragic for sad stories. So, I write about struggles that lead to happy endings.

The path to becoming a published writer is rarely straightforward, but for any neurodivergent individual, it can be fraught with unique challenges.

The Texan’s Journey Home is ironically closest to my own journey.

The Texan’s Journey Home is my 20th book. For the first time, I used my personal experience of going through school with an undiagnosed learning disability to create my hero’s scar. Reno Espinosa has gone through life not knowing he was dyslexic. He dreams of being a firefighter but can’t pass the written exam.

Personally, I didn’t get dysgraphia diagnoses until I was studying education in college.

Dyslexia and dysgraphia are learning disorders (LD) that affect reading, writing and oral language-based processing skills. It is not a simple matter of “backward” letters. Think about b, d, p, q – what if the line and circle shifted on you – how can you tell them apart?

It significantly impacts a person’s educational and personal development. When a learning disability remains undiagnosed, the challenges it presents can be misinterpreted as laziness, lack of intelligence, or behavioral issues.

My hero learned to cover it up by smiling and making a joke out of everything.

People with undiagnosed a LD, often internalize the struggle and blame themselves and are afraid of asking for help. The difficulties with reading, writing, and spelling can lead to feelings of inadequacy and frustration. The fear of judgment and the constant comparison to peers can further erode self-confidence.

I was an avid reader. Growing up, I probably spent more time in a book than with real people. So, I didn’t understand why I had a problem with spoken words, grammar and spelling. I would know all the answers on a test but would fail it because the answers were spelled wrong.

Making up stories was how my brain liked to spend time, but I didn’t have the confidence to try and write them.

I mean the message was clear. If I couldn’t spell, I couldn’t write. That was the falsehood I believed until I was almost forty.

People have asked me to speak about the journey of a published author with a learning disability, but it never occurred to use that experience for a character.

Until Reno. He needed a turning point to find his place and purpose in life.

The journey from undiagnosed to a purpose-driven life often involves a turning point—a moment of recognition, a diagnosis, or a newfound strategy that unlocks potential. This for me is where reality and fiction meet.

Turning points can take various forms:

  • Diagnosis: Receiving a diagnosis of dyslexia can be a life-changing event. It explains the struggles experienced and opens doors to support and accommodations. With a diagnosis, I understood the problem. It was freeing to understand it had nothing to do with my intelligence. For Reno, I brought in Lyrissa Martinez. The heroine is a trained special ed teacher who recognizes the signs and sees the strategies Reno has been using to cover his inability to read. She sees him, the real man he is hiding.
  • Self-Discovery: Some individuals may discover their own learning style and develop coping mechanisms that enable them to navigate the challenges of their LD. This is what I did in college as I earned my master’s degree in special ed. Again, I used Lyrissa to walk Reno through ways he can learn. Movement can be a big help for processing new information. In a traditional classroom this can cause problems.
  • Mentorship: A supportive mentor or teacher can play a crucial role in recognizing potential and providing guidance and encouragement. I meet a woman you might know. Jodi Thomas. She was amazing and inspirational. Every time I heard her speak; I grew in confidence. Lyrissa does this for Reno.

Of course, Lyrissa has lessons she needs to learn too. Reno’s charming smile and ability to live in the moment, helps her open-up and trust herself to live her fullest life. Truth be told Reno and Lyrissa might be my favorite couple from all my books.

Recognizing strengths, celebrating achievements, and seeking positive feedback is something all of us could use a little more of. And I think reading romance is just one way to do that for ourselves.

The Power of Perseverance

One of the strongest lessons I have taken from Jodi Thomas is the power of perseverance. No matter the obstacle, it is perseverance that gets us through the hard times and into success.

The journey from an undiagnosed learning disability to being a published author or a first responder is a story of resilience, determination, and the unwavering belief in your faith. This is why I write what I write.

Despite the challenges, neurodivergent individuals can and do achieve remarkable success in the literary world and beyond. Their unique perspectives and experiences can enrich their lives and inspire others to overcome their own obstacles.

Here I am, signing copies of The Texan’s Journey Home at The Boerne Bookshop.

Reno and Lyrissa’s story can be found in The Texan’s Journey Home and is available now in Walmart and anywhere books are sold.

The link is the direct link to Harlequin.

A surprise homecoming…

Could give him a second chance.

Working as a ranch hand isn’t Reno Espinoza’s dream job, but it lets him keep his lifelong secret hidden. Until an accident on the ranch leads him to unintentionally reveal his learning disability to his childhood crush, Lyrissa Martinez. Teaching Reno to read is no trouble for the special ed teacher, but his carefree attitude reminds her of a past she’s trying to move on from. As the two spend more time together, can they help each other heal old wounds for a chance at forever?

From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

I haven’t seen many books with a lead character with a learning disability. Have you. Do you have a certain type of hero you love reading? I’d love recommendations to any book you have recently enjoyed.

I’m delighted to give away one print copy The Texan’s Journy Home to a U. S. resident. Please leave a comment below.

Jolene, a seventh-generation Texan, knows, as much as the world changes, people stay the same. Good and evil. Vow-keepers and heart breakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who showed her that dancing in the rain never gets old.
Her stories are full of family, faith, and grit. Spoiler, they all end with a happy-ever-after. She loves spending time with her four kids, and can be found at jolenenavarro.com and fb @ jolenenavarroauthor

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70 thoughts on “Welcome Guest Author Jolene Navarro”

  1. I do not have a leaning disability but my oldest son has ADD no hyper. He is so smart but getting it from the brain to paper was so hard for him.

  2. In Simon’s Shame, Simon has severe dyslexia, but it’s set in the 1800s, so no one knew what that was then or much about learning disabilities. I have a master’s degree in the teaching of reading and have worked with students like this. I was likely mildly dyslexic when I was a child, but I quickly learned to overcome it and became an avid reader.

  3. Good morning and welcome! What in-depth reading this morning! Love it. Thank you for this information today. I read a regency romance about the hero becoming deaf after the French war. And he hired a lady artist who was mute to repaint a family mural. I thought that quite challenging! Even to write!

    Thank you for dropping by! Best wishes on your books!

  4. I don’t remember if I have read very many books with the hero having a learning disability, thank you for this giveaway!

  6. I don’t remember reading about a hero with a LD, but this subject is near and dear to my heart. I was told my daughter was lazy and if it wasn’t for her friend she wouldn’t be doing well in school. She was in 4th grade and her younger sister was in 1st grade. They both were doing poorly in school, I decided I could keep them home and teach them nothing and they wouldn’t be any worst off. So I started homeschooling and realized the older one was skipping words she didn’t know when reading. I had both tested and found that older one was definitely dyslexic and the younger one probably was as well. I bought a dyslexic reading program and continued homeschooling. It worked. Today they are both in their 40s and enjoy reading. In fact the older one favorite books are the classics like Pride and Prejudice.

    • The word lazy is one of my pet peeves. I’m so happy you jumped in and found the root of the problem. Good job mom. 🙂

  7. Glad you were able to find help – so many simply can’t describe the issues to get the help they need – autism in young children always comes to mind

  9. I vaguely remember reading a book with a character with dyslexia I believe but my memory is horrible so I don’t remember much else. I do enjoy books with disabilities and illnesses because not everyone is perfect or healthy so it makes the characters more realistic and relatable.

  10. Last I read a book where the main character was on the spectrum and was very different than any book I had read, I loved that she got her happy ending, but its rare that I find books where the main characters have disabilities. I personally am a disabled person and would love to find more books with characters that I can relate to. Thank you for the giveaway! I added the book to my tbr list!

  12. I was a library assistant at a junior high school in Texas and every year we would help the special education department administer the state test. Your story reminds me of those days. Those are amazing teachers and they deserve pats on the back.

  13. Through the Lettered Veil by Candace West has a main character who can’t read due to a learning disability. It’s set just after the Civil War, so it doesn’t actually reveal what the problem is (because they wouldn’t have known at that time) but from the clues that the author gives, it’s most probably dyslexia. It’s a beautiful story.

  14. My brother was dyslexic. He made through school until about the 8th grade and could barely write his name or read. At that time they didn’t recognize what the problem was, but today they could have taught him to read and write.

  15. My brother stuttered really bad until a teacher helped him slow down when he spoke and to concentrate on his words.

  16. Good morning and welcome fellow Texan! I dont recall reading a book with a character having dyslexia . I did volunteer as a reading mentor for 2nd and 3rd graders in our elementary school for 5 years and I did run across this, I did talk to their teachers about it. Your books sound like great reads and very relatable . Thank you for the chance. Have a great weekend.

  17. So thankful they were able to find help for people with learning disabilities. Back when I was in school they didn’t know about these things and there was no help. Bless you.

  19. My middle son has dysgraphia and dyslexia. He hatted reading and writing. He’s a phonetic speller and must concentrate even signing his name. He’s also ADD/ADHD, OCD and has social anxiety. He hasn’t figured out where he fits in the world. He’s 30 years old and living off his brother in his home because I can’t afford to have him with me. I worry about him a lot.

    As for books with people with any type of disability, I wish there were more and they covered all sorts of diseases/LD issues. I myself have 2 handfuls of health issues and have major depression. Maybe people would understand these things more if they were in books and on tv more….
    Try
    Ms. Perfectly Fine by Kate Callaghan
    The Aloha Butterfly Kiss by Bonnie Gilbert (all her books have some sort of “illness” and vacation spots in them)

  20. Over many years I have read a few books where one of the main characters had a disability. My brother had a learning disability which he overcame with extra help in school. As a parent of an individual who has developmental and neurological disabilities, I am always interested in characters who have learning challenges.

  23. I read a book last year that a main character was dyslexic, but I can’t remember the name of the book now! It was an historical, that much I remember! I read 252 books last year, though, so I’m not surprised I can’t remember which one it was!

  24. I have read a book with the main character having a learning disability… I can not recall the title at the moment, but it was written brilliantly.

  25. I have not read any stories with a hero with a disability. Altho, I must say some of the stories would have been better if there were those kind of heroes . I would enjoy reading your book.

  26. Love reading books set in our adopted state.
    Have met several TX authors, love it.
    As long as the story stays clean,I’m in.
    ARC for a few authors.

  27. I have a seizure means I pick things up a lot slower than most people but take each day at a time I’ve had this since birth
    I’ve only seen one author using disability in their books

  30. Alls fair in love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon is a lovely romance that features a neurodivergent character too.

  31. In Winnie Griggs Amish book, An Christmas Match, the heroine has dyslexia. That is the only book I can think of that I read recently involving a learning disability.

  32. No. I have not seen many books about learning disability. I have had glasses since I was eighteen months old. I had four eye surgeries before I was five years old. My Mom would never treat me any different due to my eye issues than she would anyone else. She would never allow any of the family, friends or teachers treat me any different either. My desk was never at the back of the room though. Challenges occur in life. How we are treated as well as how we treat others makes a difference. I enjoyed an ARC by Carol J. Post, Uncovering the Truth. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.

  34. I have read a few books that included either one of the main characters or a child with a learning disability. LDs are being diagnosed much more readily today than they were when my children were in school. Our daughter was having issues, but was being disciplined rather than being helped. It was her piano teacher that realized her problem. She was reading the music backwards. Reading was a challenge with interpretation and retention an additional issue. She also has ADD which led to more issues. Both of these were just being recognized and there were few avenues for help and treatment. Our son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was still a toddler. In both cases, it was easier to try and hide the problem rather than be pointed out as someone who has a problem. That may get them through life for a time, but they can miss out on so many opportunities and not really develop their talents. Back in the 1980’s there was little that was done for them in most school districts, mostly because no one knew what to do. Thank you for bringing this to everyone’s attention and showing them what a difference understand and self-confidence can make. Congratulations on how well you dealt with your LD and how well you are thriving now.

    • Thank you so much for sharing your story. It can be frustrating. There is still a lot of misunderstanding even in the educational system.

  35. I’ve run across more and more books with main or minor characters with learning disabilities in the online e-book offerings in recent years. Written for middle grade readers, “Roll With It” by Jamie Sumner is about Ellie who wants to become a chef, has Cerebral Palsy, uses a wheelchair, and changes home and school when her mom moves them so they can care for her grandpa. Ellie is a breath of fresh air!

  36. P.S. C.P. isn’t technically a learning disability. Sharon Mitchell’s School Daze series of novels begins when the autistic main character goes to Kindergarten and takes him through to adulthood. I’ve only read this first book but really enjoyed it while learning a great deal about Autism.

    • Love that. The current series I’m writing includes a child on the spectrum and a hero on the spectrum. He’s a veterinarian.

  37. I love reading stories about individuals with disabilities. LDs are often undiagnosed as the person learns to compensate. My daughter is an amputee and I enjoy stories about this as well.

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