Great Lines
The Lines We Overhear, The Love We Choose
I am constantly listening for great snippets of lines from conversations around me. Here is what they taught me about writing love.
I am constantly listening for great snippets of lines from conversations around me.
It is an occupational hazard, really. When you write about love, family, and the messy, beautiful spaces between people, you cannot afford to tune out the world. I listen on the subway. I listen in line for coffee. I listen when I return to Trinidad, and the gallery conversations drift over the fence.
Recently, a line from a song caught me entirely off guard: “Good morning, Miss. Can I take you where you’re going?”
It is such a simple question, but it holds a universe of possibilities. It is not just about a destination; it is about the willingness to travel alongside someone. It made me think about my own writing process, specifically those early morning hours—usually between 3:00 and 4:00 AM on weekends—when my house is quiet, and the characters in my head finally start talking to me. That is my flow state. That is when I ask my characters, “Where do you want to go,” and “Can you take me there?”
In my upcoming book, Scarlet Yearnings: Beyond First Glance, I wanted to explore what happens after the initial spark fades. The stories explore love as a choice, a responsibility, and sometimes a quiet kind of courage. I write about mature intimacy, the ongoing labor of love, and the complex grace of second chances.
Reviewers have been reading advance copies, and they have shared the stories that resonated most deeply with them.
To give you a window into my world and what awaits you in these pages, I have pulled 10 quotes from those most-loved stories.
Here is a glimpse into the conversations happening inside the book:
“I believe love shows up in places that make no sense to anybody but the two people in it.” — (Code Black, Code White)
“Some stories don’t end with anybody coming back. They end with you letting go.” — (What Grandmothers Hold)
“I told him that child is exactly where she’s supposed to be. That we are not giving her up. That he had his chance to step up five years ago, and he chose differently. That don’t mean he can’t be her father, but Trisha is ours now. She’s home.” — (What Grandmothers Hold)
“I always have so much dramatic nonsense going on. You’re allowed to interrupt the nonsense when serious things rise up. That’s what friendship is.” — (Love on the Fourteenth Floor)
“I was not with another man. I kissed no one when the ball dropped, but I did dance and had a lot of fun. Since we met, there has been no one with me physically or emotionally. You are my one and only.” — (Code Black, Code White)
“I used to think integrity meant never bending. Then I learned some truths need time before they can be heard. Some doors open slower than justice would like.” — (Stay)
“Romance is the frame. Intimacy is the picture.” — (Released for the Day)
“Because you quote Toni Morrison during rounds. Because you sneak extra pudding to Mr. Hendrickson in 302. Because when you think no one’s looking, you do a victory dance after a good procedure. Because you sing when you’re stressed, and I love your voice.” — (Code Black, Code White)
“You’re not keeping anything small. You are the one giving her roots. You give her love. You’re giving her a home she can always come back to, no matter where life take her. That’s not small, Mary. That’s everything.” — (What Grandmothers Hold)
“I loved you, and Nadine, I carried that love quietly like contraband through my thirties. I compared every would-be lover to you. I carried my love for and memory of us with me through every city, every move, every hard season. And the truth is, I never found anything that fit the space you left.” — (Released for the Day)
These lines are pieces of my heart, shaped by the voices of my ancestors, the rhythm of the Caribbean, and the reality of navigating love as an adult. They are the overheard conversations of my soul.
Scarlet Yearnings Beyond First Glance releases on June 1, 2026. If these lines speak to you, I invite you to preorder your copy today. Let’s take this journey together.
Àṣẹ,
Scarlet Ibis James
p.s. If you read the Advanced Reader Copy of Beyond First Glance and have another favorite quote, comment & share the love.