By Amy Howe
For Neosho, Missouri, resident Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy, storytelling has always been in her blood. From an early age, she was enchanted by the tales her family would share.
“I loved stories for as long as I can remember,” she recalls. “Family members read to me from an early age, told me family tales, and as soon as I learned to read, it became my favorite pastime.”
By the age of nine, Murphy knew she wanted to be a writer, and she hasn’t looked back since. Her love for writing began early, even earning some skepticism at home when she penned her first novel in the back of a school binder. “My mom laughed when I brought the manuscript home, but my dad was impressed. What elementary school kid writes a novel?”
Decades later, Murphy’s passion for storytelling remains unchanged. Today, she’s the author of multiple novels, with her stories touching on themes of romance, family dynamics and extraordinary circumstances faced by ordinary people.
“I primarily write romance, so there’s going to be a love story somewhere in each novel,” Murphy says. But it’s not just about the romance. Her characters often find themselves navigating complex family relationships and life-altering events— proof of her knack for weaving relatable, heartfelt stories.
Her creative process is both structured and flexible. “I began succeeding as an author when I decided to treat writing like a paying job,” she explains. “I get up in the morning, have coffee and hit my desk.”
Her discipline is unwavering, ensuring she stays on top of edits, drafts and promotional efforts. “I don’t have a team to back me up, so if I don’t put my nose to the grindstone, nothing happens.”
Balancing creativity with the demands of the publishing industry requires effort, but Murphy’s approach keeps her moving forward, even when tackling multiple books at once.
“If I get bored or stuck, I can jump over to something else,” she says, a skill honed during her years as a newspaper editor for Gatehouse/Gannett.
Murphy’s ability to pivot and adapt extends to her subject matter. Each novel begins with a simple question: “What if?” From there, the story builds. Her 2024 holiday release, “Homeward Bound Hearts,” grew from imagining a bronc rider with a career-ending injury who must return home. To that premise, she added a home health care nurse who despises Christmas, and from there, the narrative took shape.
Recurring themes of love and family are common in her books, but Murphy’s writing continues to evolve.
In her early days as an author, Murphy faced a much different publishing landscape. “When I first submitted my book-length fiction, you had to print your full manuscript and wait endlessly,” she says. Today, the process is faster and more accessible, but Murphy has still had to adapt. Shifting from paranormal romance to sweeter stories, she reflects on the changing tastes of readers and the industry at large. “The market has shifted,” she admits, noting the growing popularity of eBooks alongside traditional paperbacks and hardcovers.
Even with a catalog of successful novels, Murphy hasn’t forgotten the challenges along the way. Her upcoming Christmas release, “The Scarred Santa,” has proven particularly demanding. “Rafe Sullivan, the hero, is a badly scarred veteran with many PTSD issues,” Murphy explains. “I wanted to be as realistic as possible, and it’s a very emotional novel in many ways.” Her grandfather, an Army veteran of World War II, provided inspiration for the character, offering a personal connection to the story’s themes of trauma and healing.
Murphy’s life experiences have shaped not just her characters but her writing as a whole. Her characters might not be autobiographical, but there are always pieces of her personal history woven into the narrative.
“None of my characters are me, and they’re not based on any actual person, but I often use someone’s mannerisms, memories or experiences,” she says. Settings, too, are drawn from places she knows well. When readers tell her she nailed a location description, it’s because she’s been there.
As she looks to the future, Murphy remains focused on her writing career. “I plan to continue writing novels,” she says. But she’s also expanding her creative horizons, with a growing interest in editing for other authors. And like many authors, she dreams of seeing her stories on the screen. “I think some of my stories would be a good fit for Hallmark,” she shares, “but I wouldn’t be picky if someone wanted to make a film!”
Murphy’s journey as a writer has been shaped by both the unexpected turns of life and the steadfast dedication to her craft. From her childhood in St. Joseph, Missouri, to her life in the Ozarks, she has transformed ordinary experiences into extraordinary stories that touch the hearts of her readers.
As she continues to write, her goal remains simple: “I hope readers enjoy the story and that it stays with them. I’d like to be remembered as an author penning stories that touch the heart, that share the good and bad of the human experience, and that readers will want to continue reading my work.”
See more photos in the November 2024 print and digital editions