Denise LaJuan Peters
Denise LaJuan Peters landscapes tales where history and fantasy collide, creating a world where the overlooked find their voice and the outcast discover belonging. Dragons steal their way into her writing. But Denise’s deep appreciation for classics like Ivanhoe and Jane Eyre keeps her work grounded in the human experience rather than relying on genre conventions.
Approaching her writing with both romance—the term’s original definition—and concern for others, faith and realism, Denise has a knack for catching people off guard with unexpected comments—a quality that translates to prose sown with surprising turns and refreshing perspectives.
Her stories resonate with those who have felt the sting of exclusion or the weight of societal labels, particularly those based on things one cannot change. As a result, her writing serves dual purposes: cultivating what she describes as a God-given urge to serve those the world calls unlovely, while also aspiring to supplement her income through her creative work.
Although born and raised in northern Virginia, Denise spent her childhood in the suburbs while it still boasted a rural clime. Biking to Mr. Russell’s farm and exploring the adventure-filled woods nearby or traipsing through Michael’s Creek to catch minnows, all were experiences that would later color the rich landscapes in her historical fantasy novellas.
Her subsequent academic journey is as diversified as her characters. Denise holds an international business degree with an emphasis in economics as well as a master’s in theology. Both provide a precision she can bring to her storytelling.
Her professional path has taken unexpected turns as well, from assisting analysts with research at the Central Intelligence Agency to teaching Bible, mathematics, and Spanish grammar, and even directing handbells—a dizzying crop rotation that, through God’s guidance, equips her for writing richly textured stories.
Denise’s journey as an author began in her classrooms. What started as creative additions to make tests more engaging for her students evolved into a calling she couldn’t ignore. When she questioned the purpose behind her disconnected background and ever-changing subjects to teach, she received a divine answer: stories that needed telling by someone with her unique perspective and experiences.
But her path to publication saw heartbreak in 2019. She shared her first novel-length manuscript with a close friend. And she received, not encouragement but condemnation. The friendship dissolved, and despite her attempts to reconnect, only silence met her entreaties. Yet this rejection strengthened her resolve to be herself, embracing both her faith and her commitment to crafting stories that challenge assumptions.
Just before the death of her dear mother, Denise settled in the quiet Virginia piedmont where she now lives. From this tranquil setting, despite the house-invading ants and blood-sucking arachnids, she crafts narratives that are at once historically fertile and fantastically heartfelt.
Through her historical fantasies, Denise LaJuan Peters invites readers to journey alongside characters who, like many of us, search for belonging in a world that too quickly defines us or chokes us out with its own twisted narratives.
