If you’re under the widespread misconception that living with a disability means living without romance, Katie Mettner’s novels will surely change your mind.
After she became disabled by a ski accident that eventually led to the loss of her lower leg, Katie Mettner, a voracious reader from Rice Lake, Wisconsin, was frustrated that she couldn’t find novels featuring characters with disabilities. So, she decided to write one herself.
“I was like, okay we got to do something about this,” Mettner told CBS-News Minnesota reporter Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield during a recent interview.
“We have to write a story that actually talks about what it’s like to have a disability and that you are just a normal person. And you can fall in love, and you can have an epic love story because in the end all we want is a love story.”
Mettner’s first romance/mystery novel, “Sugar’s Dance” was published on Amazon in 2011. Like Mettner, the book’s main character “Sugar” is an amputee. And you’d better believe her disability doesn’t keep her from finding true love. Though Mettner never planned to write more than one novel, readers’ reactions to the book propelled her to keep writing.
“They wanted to tell me their stories, but they also wanted me to tell their stories,” she explained in a video interview. So, Mettner kept writing.
“Sugar’s Dance” turned out to be the first in a series of five books. To date, Mettner has published 61 novels and has 10 additional books awaiting publication.
“I write [my books] so that people with disabilities can feel represented and also so people without disabilities can read them and learn about people-first language, different disabilities and how they can approach people in their community,” Mettner said on CBS. In fact, Mettner’s website, katiemettner.com, includes a guide to people-first language as well as information about disability resources.
In 2023, Mettner caught the attention of an editor from world-renown romance publisher Harlequin, during the company’s “Romance Includes You” pitch event. The event was part of Harlequin’s efforts to increase diversity and representation in the romance genre. Now, Mettner has a contract with Harlequin Intrigue, a Harlequin imprint that focuses on crime and justice stories. Her new book, “Going Rogue in Red Rye County,” is currently being featured for Disability Pride Month 2024. The novel tells the story of undercover agent Mina August, who uses a leg brace, and must work with her ex-partner to solve a dangerous mystery.
Other featured novels on Harlequin’s list include the following picks:
- “Reunited with Her Off-Limits Surgeon” by Amy Ruttan
- “Caring for Her Amish Neighbor” by Jo Ann Brown
- “Agent under Siege” by Lena Diaz
- “Connection Error” by Annabeth Albert
- “Brought Together By a Pup” by Sue MacKay
For more information on these books, visit Harlequin.
For more information on Katie Mettner, visit katiemettner.com.
