Two lives marked by trauma. One chance to rediscover hope.
In the sun-drenched Lowcountry of South Carolina, a swim coach haunted by tragedy and a psychologist devoted to healing cross paths just as their lives unravel.
He once believed Olympic-sized dreams and awful dad jokes could get him through anything, but waves of grief threaten to pull him under. She has built a career navigating others through pain, yet she struggles to confront her own.
When their worlds collide, Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD forces the question: is it possible to dive into the past without drowning? Neither expects the other to become a lifeline. But with connection and courage, they search for a way forward—one stroke at a time.
Striving, tender, and surprisingly funny, this is a story about resilience and learning that the best way out of the deep end is together.
The exciting climax of Low Water takes place on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Behind the scenes: Why did I write this book?
It’s been four years since I published sports romance Rivals. In the meantime, I’ve strived to help psychotherapy clients heal.
Have traumatized book characters led you to despair? Did you ever wonder, “How will they ever recover from this tragedy?”
As a psychologist, once I learned a powerful PTSD treatment called Cognitive Processing Therapy, I now feel hope that EVERYONE can recover from a traumatic event. When I read about characters stuck in trauma, I want to yell at them, “Go get CPT!”
Witnessing trauma survivors turn their lives around inspired me to write a fictionalized version. Due to my background as a college swimmer, I chose a swim coach as the protagonist. His psychologist faces her own drama when she meets a mysterious manwhile speed-dating.
~*~
Thanks to fellow author Ronel Janse Van Vuuren for hosting me on her blog to talk about domestic violence and PTSD.
Today’s question:When you began writing, what did you imagine your life as a writer would be like? Were you right, or has this experience presented you with some surprises along the way?
I started on a lark with zero expectations about life as a “writer“. The word felt pretentious and unfamiliar to me. It was simply a delight to create fictional worlds shaped by my characters’ whims. The words poured out of me without much knowledge of structure or point-of-view.
Three years later, in 2010, when a small publisher took a chance on my debut novel, I experienced a mix of imposter syndrome along with incredible support from online friends, authors, and readers. I bounced from envisioning “best-seller” status to feeling like the heel of the shoe worn by those best-selling authors.
Surprises have ambushed me from quite a few corners, like:
Finding my own voice. I used to compare myself unfavorably to other authors, and sometimes I still do. But I heard somewhere that NOBODY writes like you do, and that sentiment has stuck with me. There aren’t many psychologists/ authors (psycho authors) out there, and probably none who share my obsession with swimming, volleyball, Pinterest food creations, and curse words!
I will survive if readers don’t like my books. Reading preferences are so subjective. I’ve found that writing is just like school, work, sports, and relationships in that I perform better by focusing on the process (writing what I want to write, learning the craft) instead of the outcome (reviews and sales).
I always knew I could persevere. Swimming thousands (millions?) of laps while staring at a black line on the pool bottom, as well as my neurotic need for achievement, strengthened my sense of grit. But I never predicted that I would publish ten novels!
Which brings me to my NEW RELEASE on 11/14/25: Low Water!
Cover by Coreen Montagna
Haunted by the past. Healing in the present. Hoping for a better future. And telling cringey dad jokes along the way.
I shared my blurb last month, and it’s available on Amazon as a pre-order.Have you ever felt hopeless about healing after tragic events? I used to. But then I learned a powerful treatment called cognitive processing therapy, and I want everyone with PTSD (real or fictional) to start the therapy, stat. CPT inspired me to return to writing after a three-year hiatus.
Two questions for you, writers:
Would you be willing to publicize Low Water around the time of release day (Friday 11/14/25) on your blog or social media?
If you’d like a special blog post about trauma (sudden death, domestic violence, etc.), cognitive processing therapy for PTSD, writing about sports, or a topic of your choice, please leave your email address in a comment or email me at jenniferlanebooks at gmail.
If you want to share a social media post, here are options:
Trauma survivors, there’s hope! Combine the thrill of competitive swimming with the power of cognitive processing therapy to heal PTSD. Pre-order “Low Water” by Jennifer Lane now and rediscover strength. https://www.amazon.com/Low-Water-Jennifer-Lane-ebook/dp/B0FYV32BV4
Trauma survivors, listen up! I’m Jennifer Lane, psychologist & author. My new ebook LOW WATER reveals how cognitive processing therapy can heal PTSD. Pre-order now and rediscover hope. https://tinyurl.com/2vbzx668
What are the pros/cons of publishing the ebook on KDP Select vs. wide? Ronel Janse van Vuuren helped me try to figure out Draft 2 Digital to publish wide my novella earlier this year, but I’m still unfamiliar with the site compared to Amazon. (I’m trying to publish the paperback on D2D and don’t know how to set the margins to 8.5 x 5.5 while using my own interior pdf, for example.) I’ve had all my books in KDP Select for years, which might make more sense for romance novels, but my new release has only a side element of romance.
April 2 question – What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?
I would like to have a beer with Westley from The Princess Bride (without iocaine powder added, I hope!) Not only is Westley clever, funny, mysterious, and tough, but he also portrays an air of vulnerability that draws people to him. Most endearing is his lasting love for the princess that helps him persevere through countless adversities.
Thank you to Ronel Jansse van Vuuren for helping guide me with publishing wide for the first time, and I also appreciate fellow co-host Natalie Aguirre as well as IWSG founder Alex Cavanaugh for spreading the word!
It was nice to see the short-lived orange banner on the Amazon site for the obscure category I chose.
Novel in Progress Update: Low Water 45,000 / ~85,000 words
I’m excited to launch my second sports-romance short-story today.
Who Can Help Her Meltdown on the Pitcher’s Mound?
Fast-pitch softball is Andie Wilson’s life. She’s a fierce pitcher hoping to score a college scholarship, and she hates the annoying distraction of cocky baseball players crashing her high-school charity game. But she doesn’t anticipate the impact of one baseball player: Colt Turner. As Colt stares at her through his catcher’s mask, his steadfast gaze may be just what she needs to guide her through a crisis. And Colt may need Andie, too—to cope with the secret hiding behind his mask.
I’m grateful to author Ronel Jansse van Vuuren for featuring her review on her blog! And stay tuned to authors Alex Cavanaugh’s blog and Natalie Aguirre’s blog for spotlights.
Thank you to early reviewers Michelle and Kate for 5-star reviews!
A special congratulations to Ronel Janse Van Vuren for the new release of her dark fantasy series, Smoke on the Water!
Instead of answering the optional question, I want to share the cover and blurb for my upcoming short story, Behind the Catcher’s Mask.
Who can help her through a meltdown on the pitcher’s mound?
Fast-pitch softball is Andie Wilson’s life. She’s a fierce pitcher hoping to score a college scholarship, and she hates the annoying distraction of cocky baseball players crashing her high-school charity game. But she doesn’t anticipate the impact of one baseball player: Colt Turner. As Colt stares at her through his catcher’s mask, his steadfast gaze may be just what she needs to guide her through a crisis. And Colt may need Andie, too—to cope with the secret hiding behind his mask.
~*~
I originally wrote this story for the IWSG Anthology, Masquerade: Oddly Suited. Thanks for the inspiration, IWSG and Dancing Lemur Press! I added a bonus scene and decided to self-publish the story. Because I’m reeling from a recent event in my family, I haven’t set a release date yet–hopefully late March or early April.
If you would be willing to help spread the word about this young adult sports romance, please let me know on the google form. I hope this link works as it’s been years since I created a google form?
February 5 question – Is there a story or book you’ve written you want to/wish you could go back and change?
Oh, YES! I wrote my first two published novels in third person omniscient point-of-view. Though this POV provides a broad perspective to the characters and story, the downside is unfortunate head-hopping within the scenes. Cringe-worthy! I did seize the chance to edit my debut novel seven years after its initial release. To tighten the story, I chopped about 30K words, but changing the point-of-view would’ve been too extensive. My publisher released the edited ebook version but did not update the print copy.
Speaking of revising stories, I’m preparing to self-publish Behind the Catcher’s Mask, a short story that was part of the 2019 IWSG anthology, Masquerade: Oddly Suited. The theme of the anthology was young adult love featuring a mask of some sort, so naturally I turned to my favorite genre (sports romance) to pen a romance between a softball pitcher and a baseball catcher.
I hope to rekindle my writing and publishing mojo in 2025. I even signed up for a book event in Savannah, GA this fall!
Novel in Progress Update: Low Water 40,000 / ~85,000 words
I spent New Years Eve with family watching my beloved Cincinnati Bengals lose, but I did enjoy altering a Nutella Christmas tree recipe to create a puff pastry NYE dessert:
January 3 question: Do you follow back your readers on BookBub or do you only follow back other authors?
Alas, my marketing efforts have fallen off across the board the past few years, including on BookBub. I am not involved on the site these days, but I have followed authors as well as readers in the past.
Have you ever run a BookBub ad? I was lucky to get one of my books, Blocked, on BookBub in the New Adult category years ago. However, I’ve tried many times since, to no avail, and it’s tough to feel motivated to continue to submit new deals.
I’m excited to co-host this fantastic giveaway. Besides the chance to win $100, individuals who comment on this post are entered to win a Jennifer Lane ebook trilogy of your choice, either romantic suspense (The CONduct Series) or sports romance (The BLOCKED Series.)
Please comment on this post and tell me your favorite book or favorite reading genre that keeps you warm during the cold winter!
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ONE entrant will be selected by the entry form to win $100 USD PayPal Cash! Open for entry WW, 18 years and older from 12/01/2023 at 12:01 a.m. ET thru 12/21/2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET. No purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited. This event is not sponsored or endorsed by PayPal. A winner will be chosen after/around December 22, 2023. The winner will have 12 hours to respond to the notification email to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. See Rafflecopter for official rules. The Kids Did It and The Mommy Island are responsible for sending the winner their prize.
Twitter and Facebook dummy/fake accounts are ineligible for entry and will be blocked. Authentic accounts only are eligible to win.
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So pumped that summer is around the corner here in Ohio! We may not have great beaches, but I’m giddy about my outdoor pool opening soon. Lap swimming is *so* much better in the sunshine.
I’m giving away three prizes: a $10 gift card, an audiobook of my sports romance Rivals to a US or UK winner, and a Jennifer Lane ebook of your choice.
As a psychologist and author (psycho author), I write sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist.
I LOVE audiobooks! It’s the only way I read these days. I just finished reviewing the audiobook for Alice Feeney’s Rock, Paper, Scissors.
The biggest challenge in creating my own audiobook for my 2021 release, sports romance Rivals, was the expense. I paid two narrators and an editor to pull both parts together. But the fun experience made it all worth it.
If I write another novel one day, I hope to create an audiobook version.
Jennifer Lane Books 