A Look Inside Desiree Steele’s Backroads and Backporches: The Road Back to Me.

Photo by Michael Tarabay

When we often rush past the quiet, meaningful moments, author Desiree Steele invites us to slow down, breathe, and pay attention. Her debut book, Backroads & Backporches: The Road Back to Me, is already resonating with readers for its raw honesty, heartfelt storytelling, and unflinching look at healing, faith, and the long road back to oneself. Desiree writes like she lives—wide open, deeply observant, and with a steady mix of grit, grace, and Texas soul.

A lifelong storyteller, she traces her love for writing back to a little green diary and a childhood filled with curiosity and wonder. But it wasn’t until a season of stillness—brought on by a battle with skin cancer—that her story began to find its true form. What followed was an eight-year journey of reflection, rediscovery, and learning to notice the beauty stitched into ordinary life.

In our conversation with Desiree, she opens up about the moments that shaped her voice, the places her stories were born, the people she carries with her, and the creative rhythm that has guided her from diary entries to a published work. What unfolds is an intimate look at an emerging author who isn’t afraid to tell the truth, even when it’s messy, and who hopes her words help others feel seen, comforted, and a little less alone.

Pull up a chair and grab a drink. Let’s step onto the back porch with Desiree and dive into her story.

Photo by Michael Tarabay

Can you tell us a little about your background and what first drew you to writing?

I grew up in Texas, and storytelling has been part of me for as long as I can remember. I still have my very first diary—a little green one I got for my eighth birthday. That’s where it all began. I filled it with stories, feelings, and dreams, and funny enough, some of those early writings made their way into my book.

Over the years, writing became my safe space. Later, I started a blog—one that’s still floating around on the internet—where I shared pieces of my life, my faith, and reflections on the everyday. It was a way to connect, heal, and hopefully help others feel seen. Writing has always been how I process the world—whether it’s through pen and paper, my camera lens, or the quiet moments on my back porch.

When did you realize you wanted to become an author, and how did your journey begin?

I think I’ve always been writing my book, long before I knew it would become one. People used to tell me, “You should write a book, Desiree,” and I had all kinds of ideas over the years. But this one, my first real book, started to unfold around 2017.

It really took off in 2019, when I was recovering from skin cancer. For two weeks, I couldn’t move my face or even talk, because any movement would have turned into one big bruise. So I sat still—and started writing. That quiet time became sacred. Words just started pouring out, and I realized I had a lot to say.

From there, it grew with me. I wrote in my camper on road trips, at Meridian, under trees, and by the ocean. Every place gave me a new piece of the story. It was never about “becoming an author,” it was about finally giving voice to everything that had been inside me all along.

How has your personal experience or identity shaped your voice as a writer?

Everything I’ve lived through shows up in my writing. I’ve faced trauma, healing, loss, faith, and the long road of rediscovering myself—and all of that shapes the way I tell stories. I write from a place of honesty, even when it’s messy, because that’s where the real beauty is.

My faith in Jesus plays a big part in my voice, but I also write with a deep respect for all the ways people experience life and spirituality. Growing up in Texas, surrounded by both grit and grace, gave me this blend of humor, humility, and heart that I think comes through in my words.

I want my writing to feel like sitting on a back porch—where nothing’s off limits, and you can laugh, cry, and breathe all in the same conversation.

What does your writing routine look like—are you an early morning writer or a midnight thinker?

I’m really an all-the-time writer. Inspiration doesn’t wait for a schedule—it shows up whenever it wants. I’ve woken up at four in the morning with words pouring out of me, and I’ve pulled over on the side of the road to record a thought before it disappears. I grab my phone, a pen, paper—whatever’s nearby. I’ve even written on napkins.

Sometimes memories hit in the middle of the night, and the only way to quiet them is to write. My process has always been loose and a little wild, but it has its own rhythm. What started as scattered notes slowly grew and changed into outlines, stories, and eventually chapters. Writing has become a way of catching life as it happens—wherever and whenever it lands.

How do you approach developing your characters and storylines?

Life itself inspires me—the ordinary moments that hold something deeper if you just slow down long enough to notice. One of the poems in my book, The Blue Shirt, came from a moment when I was simply hanging up laundry. I touched one of my husband’s shirts and felt this sudden wave of gratitude that I had a shirt to touch, that he was alive and near me.

That’s what writing is for me—it’s noticing. It’s the sound of wind in my garden, a road trip memory, or a quiet realization that stops me in my tracks. I find inspiration in nature, people, and everyday grace. Writing helps me honor those moments that might otherwise pass by unnoticed.

How do you handle creative blocks or moments of doubt?

When I hit a creative block, I’ve learned not to force it. Sometimes what feels like writer’s block is really just something too heavy or painful to move through yet. Writing Backroads & Backporches: The Road Back to Me meant going back—emotionally, spiritually, and mentally—and that takes time. That’s part of why it took me nearly eight years from start to finish.

When the words won’t come, I grab my camera or my phone and hit the backroads. I get outside, take pictures, breathe, and let the world remind me to slow down. I don’t usually write much in those moments—just notice. Over time, the stories find their way back when I’m ready to hold them. I’ve learned that creativity doesn’t leave; it just waits for you to catch up.

What inspires your ideas, and how do you decide which ones to pursue?

I have a lot of ideas going at once. Inspiration comes from everywhere—conversations, road trips, memories, photography, and just observing life unfold. Sometimes it’s a feeling that hits deep, and I’ll jot it down. Other times, it’s just a single word or phrase that I’ll tuck away until it starts to grow into something bigger.

Right now, I actually have two more books coming out of me. For one, I’ve already started writing little pieces here and there. The other is just an idea for now—but it’s a good one. It’ll be completely different, and I may not even have my name attached to it.

I don’t always choose which ideas to pursue—they sort of choose me. The ones that keep showing up in my thoughts, or tug at me when I’m quiet, are the ones I follow. I’ve learned to trust that pull.

Do you outline everything beforehand or let the story unfold as you write?

I’ve never been one for outlines—or lines of any kind, really. Maybe that’s why I nearly failed English. I can do an outline if I have to, but I don’t like coloring inside the lines, standing in lines, or being boxed in by them either.

My writing tends to unfold naturally. I’ll jot thoughts down on napkins, record memories while driving, or write in bursts when something hits me. Later, I piece everything together, and somewhere along the way, it starts to take shape. My process is messy but alive. The rhythm finds me—I just follow it.

How do you see your work fitting into (or challenging) today’s art and culture landscape?

I think my work both fits in and pushes back. The world moves so fast right now—everything is filtered, polished, and packaged. I’m not interested in that. My work slows things down. It invites people to notice—the backroads, the porch talks, the moments that don’t make it to the highlight reel.

I write and photograph the real stuff—faith, pain, laughter, healing—the things that make us human. In a culture that glorifies perfection, I lean into imperfection. I want my work to remind people that you don’t have to have it all together to be beautiful or worthy.

So yes, I guess I challenge the landscape a bit. I’m not here to fit into a box. I’m here to show the raw, unfiltered version of life—and if that makes people uncomfortable, maybe that’s where the truth starts to do its work.

Tell us about your latest book—what inspired it, and what themes does it explore?

My latest book, Backroads & Backporches: The Road Back to Me, is a mix of memoir, reflection, and a love letter to the messy, beautiful journey of finding yourself again. It grew out of my own healing—years of journals, memories, and moments that shaped who I am today.

The inspiration came from a simple truth: sometimes the hardest roads are the ones that lead us home. The book explores themes of resilience, faith, trauma, forgiveness, and love—real love, the kind that grows through both laughter and pain.

It’s about rediscovering who you are underneath all the roles, expectations, and survival habits. It’s also about learning to notice again—to find beauty in ordinary things, like hanging a blue shirt in your closet or watching light move across your garden.

This book is my way of saying, “You’re not alone on your road.”

What do you hope readers take away from this story?

I hope readers walk away feeling seen and less alone. Healing isn’t a straight line—it takes time, and honestly, some days it just hurts. Like right now, as I’m answering this, I’m having a dark day. Healing doesn’t ever fully end; it just becomes something you understand better and learn to carry with a little more grace.

I want people to know they don’t have to have it all together—because nobody does. Backroads & Backporches: The Road Back to Me is about that truth: that you can be broken and still beautiful, lost and still on your way home. If my story helps someone take a deep breath and give themselves a little grace, then it’s done its job.

Did you face any unique challenges while writing or publishing this book?

Yes—many. Writing this book meant reopening wounds I thought had healed. There were times I had to stop for months because the memories were too heavy to face. Each chapter asked me to look at something I had once buried, and that’s not easy.

There were also the practical challenges—learning the publishing world, doubting myself, and wondering if anyone would even care about my story. But the hardest part wasn’t the writing—it was the feeling. Sitting still long enough to tell the truth and let it change me.

In a way, the book healed me as I wrote it. It took almost eight years to finish because I had to grow into the woman who could tell it. And even now, I know the ending isn’t the stopping point—it’s just another beginning.

Do you have a favorite scene, character, or line from the book—and why?

My favorite story in the book is about Andrew and Patty, because neither one of them are here anymore. Both left this world way too soon, and writing about them brought up so many emotions—grief, gratitude, love, and even laughter.

There’s a line from that story that still hits me every time:

“Love like that doesn’t have an expiration date. It stays. It lingers in laughter you can still hear, in names you can’t delete, in stories that keep finding their way into the light.”

That line is a reminder for me to keep going. And I hope it’s a reminder to everyone who reads it that you matter, you’re seen, and you’re not forgotten.

It also reminds me of something my nephew once said when he was younger—he told me, “Aunt-DeDe, nobody would miss me.” And I told him, “Yes, they would. Because we all leave an impact on somebody’s life. Someone would remember you. And someone would miss you.”

Andrew and Patty’s stories remind me of that truth every day. They each played such meaningful roles in my life, and their presence still lingers in the way I love and see the world.

What authors or books have influenced your writing style the most?

I’m drawn to writers who tell the truth beautifully, even when it’s messy. Books like Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey and Educated by Tara Westover remind me that storytelling doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be real. I love when a writer lets humor, heartbreak, and hope all live in the same sentence.

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz shaped how I live and write—especially “be impeccable with your word.” Field Notes for the Wilderness by Sarah Bessey gave me language for faith that holds questions instead of fear. Both of those writers inspire me to write from a place of honesty and grace, not certainty.

The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner and Switch On Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf helped me connect faith, science, and healing. Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It by Kamal Ravikant and The Habit of Noticing by Darden Smith taught me that healing starts with awareness and self-compassion.

And then there’s The Nature Fix by Florence Williams—which speaks straight to my soul—and, of course, Dolly Parton. Her stories, her wit, her warmth… she reminds me that storytelling can be kind, fearless, and full of heart.

All of these voices have shaped the way I write—with truth, curiosity, and a little bit of Texas wild.

How do you handle creative blocks or moments of self-doubt?

I have a lot of doubt in my writing—probably more than I’d like to admit. But when it gets too loud, I remind myself that I actually like what I write. I’m a pretty tough critic, so if I enjoy reading my own words, that’s saying something. When doubt creeps in, I take a breath and remember that I’ve been through harder things than a blank page. I let myself step away, go outside, grab my camera, or just sit still until the noise quiets down. Then, when I come back, I usually find that the words are still there—waiting for me to trust myself again.

How do you balance writing for yourself versus writing for an audience?  

I write for myself first. Always. Writing is how I process life—it’s where I tell the truth before I start editing it. Once it’s out, I go back and rework the parts that might sound too sharp or too raw. Sometimes I take things out, then put them right back in again—just reworded.

Mostly, I write how I speak. I know people will judge it, and that’s okay. If you read it and love it, great. If you don’t, that’s okay too. It did what it was supposed to do for me. Writing is how I make sense of my world, and if that connects with someone else along the way, then that’s just a bonus.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors hoping to publish their first book?  

I’d start by asking, Why? Why do you want to write a book? What’s the heartbeat behind it? Because if your only goal is to be published, it’ll be easy to burn out. Writing a book takes time, honesty, and a whole lot of patience.

I didn’t set out to write a book at all. I just started writing—stories, memories, little pieces of life—and somewhere along the way, it turned into one. Someone once told me, “You should write a book,” and I finally did. But it was never about getting published; it was about telling the truth and finding healing in the process.

So my advice is: write because you have to. Write because something inside you needs to be heard. The rest will fall into place when the story’s ready.

What are you working on next? Any upcoming projects or genres you’d like to explore?  

Actually, I have two books in me right now. One will be a collection of stories from ordinary people—kind of like Chicken Soup for the Soul, but with a little more grit and heart. I’ve met so many people with incredible stories, and I want to give them a space to be heard.

The other book… well, that one’s a secret for now. My name won’t be attached to it, and that’s all I’ll say. But it’s going to be a fun one.

How do you hope your work will be remembered or make an impact over time?  

I hope it’s remembered for its honesty and rawness—and that it gives people hope. Life can be hard and beautiful at the same time, good and bad all at once. My writing isn’t about pretending everything’s okay; it’s about showing that healing takes time, and that sometimes your focus has to turn inward so you can find peace again.

If readers walk away feeling seen, comforted, or just a little less alone, then my work has done its job.

Describe your writing in three words. 

Raw - Hopeful - Real 

Coffee, tea, or something stronger while writing?  

Coffee, tea, and sometimes a little weed. Writing this book took a lot out of me, and some days I needed something to help me sit with the hard stuff long enough to get the words out. It quiets the noise and lets me face what I might otherwise avoid.

Want Your Copy of Backroads and Backporches?

For more information on Desiree and her new book, visit her website and follow her on social media.

XOXO,

The Newsboy Local