Y is for Y'All

Debra is a country gal at heart.

A line of my author bio reads: Although she's a country gal at heart, she lives in a suburb of Chicago with her husband, who is her real life hero.

Despite my geographic location, I really am a wannabe country girl. I love driving our pick up truck. Taking the John Deere out for a spin while on vacation is one of my favorite things to do. I met my hubby at a country bar, and we learned to two step together. My preferred choice of music is country, and I rarely stray from it. I own three cowboy hats. I've seen Kenny, Carrie, Toby, and Brad live in concert many, many times. And Kenny for sure has it right: I do think tractors are sexy.

No surprise then, that most of my books are set in the country or in small towns. My Corral Series is all about the interaction of friends at a country bar. Except for Wild Wedding Weekend and Family Secrets, all of my stories have a small town or western theme. The first book in a new series I'm brainstorming has a country music star as the hero.

Going along with that, most of my heroes drive pick ups, wear boots, jeans, & hats, and say things like "Y'all" and "Yes, ma'am." It makes my knees go quivery just imagining their soft, southern drawls.

Many a time, inspiration comes from a country song, or even a single line in a song. Music provides my muse and my inspiration, and it's hard for me to separate music from writing. When I listen, my brain conjures images of how the story would go if it were written out.

Will I ever really live in the country or on a farm or in a small town someday? Probably not. Which is why it's so fun to live vicariously when I write.

Until next time,

Happy Reading!

Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com