Guest Blog: Jane Leopold Quinn: Inspiration is Everywhere, The Will to Write is Harder to Come By

As early as 2008, I was attracted to writing a series taking place in small town America. I was raised in a small Iowa city, Dubuque, and the idea has always "called" to me. I loved Jan Karon's books with Fr. Timothy Kavanagh and all his compatriots in the small North Carolina town of Mitford. I even loved the town map inside the front cover. So, over the years, my town, Birchwood Falls, took shape. I even drew a map of the town, and as you can see, drawing is not my specialty. Then I had to people the town with interesting characters with interesting stories.

Since I was a little girl, I've always loved westerns, TV shows and movies and books. The westerns of the 50s and 60s were my favorites, and it just so happens that I found a TV channel with some of those old shows. Yay. As a lot of girls did, I fell in love with Little Joe Cartwright but eventually moved on to Nick Barkley on The Big Valley. Joe and Nick fueled many a young fantasy, not together though. Oh, crikey, now I have that idea in my head — a fully adult fantasy. Oh, yeah! The first manuscripts I wrote were westerns.Jake and Ivy is out now. The Long Road to You is due out February 5. Both are about handsome, hunky cowboy brothers and their beautiful strong-willed women.

The first book I had published was a time travel to Roman Britain. Unfortunately, it's not available at the moment since it's contracted and sitting at a new publisher. That book was inspired by a trip I made to Bath, England where I photographed the tomb of a Roman soldier at the Roman Museum.

So many people say they could write a book, would like to write one, mean to write one some day. How many of them do that? Very few of us manage to write one, let alone many. We authors are the precious few.

To be able to write a story and publish it means we join the centuries-long family of authors. It seems like there are a lot of us, but our percentage is so small compared with the whole of the world's populace. How many people do you know who say. I could write a book" but don't?©

There's so much inspiration for stories out there. All it takes is the will to write them down and a bit of talent for story telling. And focus and commitment. It takes all that to create characters and a plot line — beginning, middle, and end. I've used photographs, TV commercials, cowboy fantasies, Russell Crowe in Gladiator, Flamenco music all as inspiration for stories. I've used a bit of my own romance with my husband. Because of these disparate ideas, my books aren't neatly tied up in a series except the small town and the western books. Sometimes I regret that since series books are so popular, but I'm still proud of every one of my books. They represent my thoughts, my loves, and my life.

I began this writing journey as a way to ensure that I would have something that belonged only to me with my name on it. It's the best job in the world! The Real Deal is the second of the Birchwood Falls books. Lost and Found is the first. After a decade at war, Marc comes home to investigate his parents' mysterious deaths. Beautiful jazz singer Phoebe hungers for fame and craves love. Despite their differing paths, they give in to their sizzling attraction. Will their passion turn deadly when the killer decides two murders might not have been enough?

BLURB:
When her fiancé is busted at a gentlemen's club, attorney Norah Ballard calls off the wedding. Shocked and humiliated, she grabs her suitcase and takes the first train out of town.

Easygoing teacher Michael Banning spots the new woman in town and recognizes her from college. She's even more gorgeous and sophisticated now. He's no longer the nerd he was back then, and now that she's on his turf, he's going to touch and taste every sleek, beautiful inch of her. Whatever her reason is for being in his town, he'll fulfill all her desires so she never wants to leave. Norah won't let another man—no matter how sweet, smart and sexy—get close enough to hurt her again. Mike's passionate pursuit of her, the way he seems to know just how to arouse her, turns her into the wanton woman she hadn't known she was.

He's accused in a local scandal, something he wasn't involved in. Birchwood Falls is in danger of flooding. He has a hell of a lot on his plate. When Mike’s in trouble, Norah's going to be there to help him. And when Birchwood Falls is in trouble, she's going to help the town she's fallen in love with too.

The Real Deal is available here:
http://amzn.com/B00RVY0AGW
http://www.ellorascave.com/the-real-deal.html

Bio
My Romance: Love With a Scorching Sensuality
Jane Leopold Quinn is a multi-published, erotic romance author of M/F, M/M, and ménage (M/F/M). She's written in contemporary, Western historical, fairy tale, and time travel. Her imagination was always fertile but became public when she began writing hot romance over a decade ago.

Her main interest is writing, but creativity in authors isn't usually limited to writing. Other interests include building and decorating doll houses and miniature room boxes, as well as designing silk flower arrangements. She'd love to paint, but even her stick figures are unrecognizable. Alas—can't do everything. Of course, her characters can.

My Books
Ellora's Cave:
Lost and Found
The Real Deal
Indie:
Valentine's Day
His Hers & His
The Keeper
Soldier, Come Home
Winning Violetta
A Promise at Dawn
Jake and Ivy
Wooing the Librarian
Home to Stay
The Long Road to You (coming February 5, 2015)
Siren:
Undercover Lover
Mercenary Desires
I'll Be Your Last

Jane Leopold Quinn
Love With a Scorching Sensuality
http://janeleopoldquinn.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/jelquinnauthor
Amazon Author Page