Maggie Gates: On Her Journey From Self-Publishing to Traditional Publishing
In this interview, author Maggie Gates discusses putting a spin on the single-dad trope with her new romance novel, Dust Storm.
Maggie Gates writes raw, relatable romance novels packed full of heat and humor. Maggie calls North Carolina home. In her spare time, she enjoys daydreaming about her characters, jamming to country music, and eating all the barbecue and tacos she can find! Her e-reader is always within reach due to a love of small-town romances that borders on obsession. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
In this interview, Maggie discusses putting a spin on the single-dad trope with her new romance novel, Dust Storm, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Maggie Gates
Literary agent: Flavia Viotti, Bookcase Literary Agency
Book title: Dust Storm
Publisher: Berkley Publishing
Release date: October 7, 2025
Genre/category: Contemporary Romance, Western
Elevator pitch: A small-town single dad and big city publicist reluctantly work together to save his family’s cattle ranch and amid the undeniable chemistry between them.
What prompted you to write this book?
As a long-time lover of the single dad trope, I always swoon over the moment when the leading lady enters the hero’s family dynamic and is the perfect maternal figure. But I always wondered what would happen if the leading lady wasn’t a perfect fit. What if she “wasn’t a kid person?” What if she didn’t have a maternal bone in her body?
I wanted to explore the role that child-free women play in the world and celebrate that.
I wanted to write a leading lady who was strong and unapologetic, and used her strength and confidence to be an advocate for the young people she was surrounded by. Someone who did not change who she was or what she wanted in life but, instead, found a new purpose for those goals and skills in a different industry as well as a family dynamic.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Dust Storm was originally self-published in 2024. This story was a long time coming, as it was preceded by my 2021 debut novel, The Stars Above Us. My debut was the story of the oldest Griffith brother, Nathan, but I knew that I would eventually write the rest of his brothers because I could not stop thinking about the single dad of two young daughters who stole my heart in the background.
Finally, in 2023, I began to write Dust Storm. The Griffith familyis heavily inspired by my in-laws, who used to work cattle. I drew inspiration from the many stories my brothers-in-law have shared over the dinner table. After years of scribbling down notes and ideas, it felt like slipping into a world I lived in and writing the most familiar story about characters I knew intimately. Frankly, it was probably the easiest writing process I’ve ever had. Christian and Cassandra were so vivid in my imagination that I could have written twice the number of pages!
I’m a plotter, so the majority of the story stayed true to the initial concept, but I love leaving space in my outline and notes for the magic to happen. (Like the moment when it is revealed to readers that Christian Griffith has long hair because he grew it out to learn how to style it so he could properly care for his daughters’ hair!) The organic moments when the characters push me into the passenger’s seat and take the wheel are my favorite.
When Dust Storm was acquired by the team at Berkley Publishing, I was so thrilled to revisit the story and write a few more bonus chapters because I had not stopped thinking about the characters and what they were up to.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I have been an indie author for many years, so it was a joy to explore the traditional publishing process, to learn and grow as an author as Dust Storm transitioned into the wonderful hands of Kerry Donovan and the team at Berkley Publishing and Penguin Random House. To have this book be championed by both the indie publishing community and the traditional publishing community has been so humbling and truly is an honor.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I was surprised with how much I fell in love with, arguably, my most abrasive character ever. Cassandra Parker is unapologetic and takes no prisoners. She says exactly what she’s thinking, and it was so fun and refreshing to write. I loved asking myself, “What would I say in this scenario if I didn’t care what people thought about me?”
That’s Cassandra. She encouraged me and many, many readers to be their most confident selves.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Starting over is terrifying, but I hope that readers find the courage to “rebrand” their lives. I hope that readers allow themselves to be loved. Far too often, we love others and sacrifice ourselves for them, but don’t allow ourselves to accept that kind of love in return or assume that there are strings attached. I hope that readers learn to be kind to themselves when they are in the middle of their own dust storm and extend grace to others when they’re going through theirs.
