Meet Emma Lane

The Write Way Café welcomes Emma Lane. Author, gardener, and more, Emma has a way with romance.

When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance? 
As an avid reader the thought had always been with me. I thought “someday” I would get around to writing, until one day I realized the ‘somedays’ were getting rather limited.

What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do?   
I followed the advice to ‘write what you know and like.’  I love Regency Romance. When I sat down to write, a three book series called “The Vicar’s Daughters” popped out. I started visiting publishers and submission directions. Eventually I found a taker! I was thrilled. Yes! I am constantly researching. I will never know all there is to find out about that historical era.

Where did the idea for your story come from?  
Ummm…I was cleaning out my jewelry box and admiring an amber necklace that had belonged to my mother. A fond father naming his four daughters after precious jewels struck me. His name was Jewelaster and his daughters were Peal, Ruby, Emerald, and Amber. Each story followed the young ladies as they searched for their happily ever after.

Why did you pick the setting you did?
I needed a winter setting for my third Christmas Collection of short stories called Wedding Bells for a Regency Christmas. I used both a country and city backgrounds to add variation to the stories.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself? 
I have three sisters so I can never claim my characters are completely made up. There must always be a touch here and there of people I know in real life.  I draw heavily on certain personalities I observe, although there is never an actual real person presented. Actual authentic historical figures are sometimes mentioned.

Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret? 
A serious illness left me lethargic until I finally forced myself to resume writing. Soon the words were flowing once more and my pleasure in writing resumed.  It was the first time I could understand why some writers called it work. I had always before called it fun.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after? 
Different reactions to the stories. Some readers love one and others another. To me, they are all one family. I could not separate their stories even though each is different; all four are on a quest to find their life’s destiny.

What did you learn? 
As mentioned above, I learned sometimes one must work at writing.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you. 
I have a lovely bay window office that allows me to enjoy what’s going on outside. A bird feeder keeps the scene lively.

What are some of your favorite books and why? 
All of Georgette Heyer, of course. I am an eclectic reader and will enjoy whatever is before me. I like J.D. Robb and other mysteries. Recently I’ve been reading Dorothy Sayer. I admire her writing very much although I sometimes stumble over the plots.

What are you working on now?
I’m putting together a couple of short stories for Valentine’s day. I may or may not make the deadline.  Other life things keep rearing their sweet heads and temp me from my keyboard.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre?  Which one and why? 
I alternately write Cozy Mysteries and have several published by Soul Mate Publishing. They are available in both e-book format and paperback. Murder in the Neighborhood  (written as Janis Lane) introduces Detective Kevin Fowler who works in small town America. He and his colleagues, friends, and neighbors live quietly until threatened by a serial killer. There are two subsequent novels in the series.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be? 
Writing is my dream job. I also play with flowers in my son’s nursery. That’s a pretty dreamy job as well.  Someday when I have enough time and energy, I would like to write a gardening book for young couples just starting out.

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble? 
Marketing.

Who is your favorite hero/heroine?  
Superman.  I would love to leap tall buildings at a single bound.  Also Sully, the pilot who landed in the Hudson. I’m reading his book, Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters.  It’s not fiction, but I would have loved to invent a character with his strengths.  That he is a real person is a marvel.

Four sisters, each named for a precious jewel, Pearl,Ruby, Emerald, and Amber, find their true destinies as each fall in love with a true mate and handsome hero.

Four sisters, left to fend for themselves when their father passes, manage one by one to fulfill their destiny and find their true loves. Four seasonal Christmas love stories.

Amazon


About Emma:
Emma lives in Western New York on a few picturesque acres with her ever patient husband. They own and operate a small herbtique which keeps their days busy and interesting during the summer months. They have two brilliant grown-up children and a wonderful pair of grandchildren. In one way or another, the entire family contributes to Emma’s stories. They are her biggest fans and she is ever thankful for it. Emma is an author of multiple Regency Romances e-published at Musa Publishing, contemporary romance suspense novels at Desert Breeze Publishing and cozy, romantic mysteries at Soul Mate Publishing.

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