Martha O’Sullivan, a FishHawk Ranch resident, has officially launched her fifth contemporary romance novel, Sierra Falls, marking a significant milestone in her journey as an author. Released in February, the novel continues her trend of setting stories in Lake Tahoe, California—a location that has become synonymous with her writing.
“Sierra Falls tells the story of a widowed woman who, after experiencing heartbreak, finds unexpected love. O’Sullivan, who has a penchant for happy endings, says her books reflect the stories she enjoyed reading during her youth.
“I write the kind of books I loved reading when I was growing up,” she shared.
Born in Chicago, O’Sullivan moved to Florida, where she now lives with her husband and two daughters. She notes that her personal experience of finding love and happiness has shaped her storytelling, particularly her affinity for central love stories and their inevitable, heartwarming conclusions.
Her path to authorship began in 2020 when O’Sullivan wrote Second Chance, her debut novel. Since then, she has self-published five books in just over four years, including the Sierra Falls release. Each of O’Sullivan’s novels is set in Lake Tahoe, a location she visited more than a decade ago, sparking inspiration for her stories.
Although self-publishing has proven to be both rewarding and challenging, O’Sullivan admits she faced significant hurdles, especially in navigating the world of publishing and marketing. “There was a time when I almost gave up,” she confessed. “But I pushed through and turned to self-publishing, and now my books are available in both e-book and paperback formats.”
O’Sullivan often writes from her lanai in FishHawk Ranch, a practice she says helps keep her inspired and avoids writer’s block. While her first three books—Second Chance, Chance Encounter, and Last Chance—form a trilogy, they can be read independently. Her fourth novel, Christmas in Tahoe, is a holiday-themed story that reflects her diverse range of romance narratives.
Currently, O’Sullivan is focused on promoting her existing novels rather than working on a new project. Though not actively writing, she is committed to improving her marketing efforts. “It’s been a huge learning curve,” she said.
O’Sullivan, who studied public relations in college, is largely self-taught when it comes to the craft of writing. “Writing books and getting them out into the world is probably, next to being a mom, the greatest learning experience of my life,” she remarked.
O’Sullivan’s complete collection of novels is available for purchase on platforms such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Kindle.
