Inspired

People often ask writers where we get our ideas from. It’s a tough question. Ideas come from anywhere and everywhere — our experiences, our environment, people we know, places we visit. Mainly ideas simply come from our imaginations. An easier question is: from where do we get our inspiration? For me, it comes from two primary sources: art and other writers. I particularly love art from the Renaissance through the 18th century, but there’s also artists’ work I enjoy who lived much later. As for inspirational writers, of course, I love my fellow historical, contemporary, and erotic romance peers. But here in my Inspirations gallery I’ve chosen to highlight three writers whose inclusion may surprise you. Click around and read the stories. I hope you’ll be inspired, too.

Le Guêpier - William-Adolphe Bouguereau

As an erotic romance writer, I spend a fair amount of time thinking and writing about the physical senses. This is far beyond just thinking about sex - which some people believe is all we think about. "Ha!" They scoff. "...Read more...

Ian McEwan

I'm always extremely impatient waiting for Ian McEwan's next book. The stories are so intriguing, the characters multi-layered and complex. But McEwan, like Michael Cunningham, just kills me with the power of his prose. ...Read more...

Michael Cunningham

Michael Cunningham is a writer known mostly for his 1998 novel The Hours. I loved that book and it's stayed with me over the years. I find myself thinking about it not infrequently, probably at least once every few month...Read more...

Stephen King

Let me just put it out there: I'm a HUGE Stephen King fan, and have been for years. He's long held the title of "Master of Horror," and particularly in his early books, like Carrie, The Shining, and The Stand (to name a ...Read more...

Pietà

It's impossible to be a lover of Renaissance art without mentioning the incredible, magnificent Michelangelo Buonarroti. Painter, writer, architect, and sculptor, his talent was obvious from an early age. He was appre...Read more...

Archangel Michael

This painting inspires me for the simple reason that I love the story of Archangel Michael. He's one of the chief angels and is known as the leader of God's army. He's the ultimate triumph of good over evil; the defeater...Read more...

Judith and Holofernes

Artemisia Gentileschi was a 17th century Italian Baroque artist whose determination to succeed among the male-dominated world of artists and her refusal to allow discrimination and ignorance to bring her down is an inspi...Read more...

A Girl With A Watering Can - Renoir

I generally find inspiration in older artwork, specifically from the Renaissance and Baroque eras. However, it's hard not to love the beautiful settings and artistic interpretations of the Impressionists. The painting...Read more...