This week’s questions for authors of Romance Writers Weekly are from Jeanne McDonald.  Hope you’ve already visited Susan Scott Shelley.

1. Describe that moment you first felt like a true author (not just an aspiring one).  When I received a message on Facebook from my soon to be editor at Lyrical saying she’d sent me an e-mail and they were offering me a contract on Hot as Blazes.

2. Name three authors who you inspire you.

Jo Davis, because of her prose and love scenes. Lori Foster’s ability to whip them out and keep changing up the characters with equally good writing. Lastly, the authors of my chapter. I was unpublished when I joined my Chesapeake Romance Writers. Now that I’ve been published and it is amazing to hear my chapter sister’s stories of getting their first book published!

3. Describe your favorite fan moment (either you as the fan or one of your readers approaching you as a fan).

Oh my God, this recently happened.  The founder of a blog reviewing site who’d read Hot as Blazes through NetGalley sent me a private e-mail that blew me away. It read:

Thank you. I grew up on the OBX. I have friends who are firefighters, police officers and I worked for the Town of KDH in the municipal center. My husband and I owned our first home in Grandy. You reminded me of my home, friends and family. Your story was awesome and I loved Ray and Jo. I always request books from netgalley that feature the beach. Yours was the first that rang true for me. I run Romancebookworm’s Reviews if you ever need something feel free to ask.

For a local to give me kudos on the setting and characters of my book is probably the best compliment I will ever receive! BTW, KDH is Kill Devils Hill, one of the towns on the Outer Banks. What a total fan girl moment!

Now let’s see about Kate Robbins’ fan girl moment and when she felt like an author for the first time!