Charleston, SC, May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Palmetto Publishing has released How to Dodge a Bullet: Survival Guide to Online Dating After Divorce, a new memoir by C. C. Steele. The book chronicles Steele’s reentry into the dating world after divorce, documenting over eighty dates and the hard lessons that came with each one.
Set in Florida, the memoir follows Steele as she navigates online dating apps for the first time after years of marriage. Armed with red lipstick and a circle of loyal girlfriends, she plunges into a landscape she barely recognizes. The dates range from awkward to alarming. She encounters love bombers who say all the right things before vanishing, catfish who bear no resemblance to their profiles, men who misrepresent basic facts about themselves, and others whose deceptions run far deeper. Each chapter draws from a specific encounter, grounding the narrative in concrete, often absurd detail.
The stakes extend well beyond bad dinner conversation. Steele describes confronting manipulation tactics, rebuilding shattered confidence, and learning to distinguish charm from coercion. Ghosting, love bombing, and outright dishonesty threaten not just her evenings but her sense of self-worth. The memoir traces how repeated exposure to these patterns forced her to develop practical instincts for spotting red flags early, before real emotional damage could take hold.
C. C. Steele stated, “I wrote this book because I wanted women who are starting over after divorce to know they are not alone and they are not crazy. I made every mistake in the book so they do not have to. If even one reader spots a red flag she would have missed before, then every bad date I went on was worth it.”
The memoir arrives at a moment when post-divorce dating, particularly for women over forty encountering apps for the first time, has become a widely shared cultural experience. Readers who connected with the candid humor of Jenny Lawson or the sharp observational voice of Jen Lancaster will find a similar sensibility in Steele’s writing. The book occupies a space between cautionary tale and comedic survival guide, offering practical dating wisdom drawn entirely from lived experience rather than theory. It is positioned for women aged thirty-five to sixty who want both validation and actionable advice as they rebuild their romantic lives.
How to Dodge a Bullet is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. For more information about the author, please visit any of their social media platforms.
Facebook: CC Steele Author
Instagram: @cc_steele_author
About the Author: C. C. Steele is a memoirist and advocate for women rebuilding their lives after divorce. Drawing from hard-won personal experience, she writes with unflinching honesty about the red flags, manipulation tactics, and emotional pitfalls that can blindside anyone reentering the dating world. Her debut memoir, How to Dodge a Bullet: Survival Guide to Online Dating After Divorce, is part cautionary tale, part comedic survival guide, written to help women over forty avoid the mistakes she made and find their own strength on the other side.
Steele’s writing journey began when she realized her post-divorce dating misadventures were too absurd, and too instructive, to keep to herself. From love-bombing to ghosting to the wild frontier of dating apps, she catalogued every painful and laugh-out-loud moment with the goal of turning personal chaos into something genuinely useful. Her voice blends the warmth of a best friend, the timing of a stand-up comedian, and the resolve of someone determined to make sure other women see the warning signs she once missed.
When she is not writing or swiping left with purpose, C. C. Steele can be found in Florida, sipping wine and quoting The Princess Bride. She believes that humor is the best armor, that red lipstick is non-negotiable, and that every woman deserves a story that ends on her own terms. Follow C. C. Steele at www.howtododgeabullet.com for updates on new releases.