Authors That Have Inspired Me

When I think of authors who have inspired me, so many come to mind. I was an early reader so I’m sure I’ve read thousands of books in my lifetime. But I can narrow it down to three who have most impacted me throughout my reading, and later, writing.

Brian Jacques (http://www.redwallabbey.com/) – When I was in eight grade, I picked up my first Redwall book at the school bookfair. It took me a little while to get around to reading it but once I did, I realized it was like nothing I’d ever read before. It was in a genre that I guess would later become MG/YA, but didn’t really have that distinction back then. While the Redwall series has appeal for younger readers, you almost have to be a little older to completely appreciate how complex and brilliant the stories are. To me, Jacques was a master of world-building and accents, which he so committed to that you could tell what type of character you were reading about by just the accent. I was lucky enough to meet him at a book signing when I was around 17 or 18 and, yes, I was one of the oldest “kids” in line. Sadly, Mr. Jacques passed away last year, and I have yet to read the final book in the series—I’m just not ready to say goodbye.

Nora Roberts (http://www.noraroberts.com/) – Nora Roberts was my first introduction into the romance and romantic suspense genres. Her writing was so down to earth and real, it was what initially made me believe that I could start writing. She was a real person who told awesome stories, and she’d made a name for herself. She inspired me into thinking that possibly I could do the same thing. I still haven’t finished the first book I started after this magical revelation, but some day I will, and I’ll definitely thank Ms. Roberts.

Larissa Ione (http://larissaione.com/) – Other than being an amazing author, Larissa Ione has been my role model for the kind of author I want to be, and the relationship I want to have with my readers. When I was first starting out with Fire on the Island, I reached out to her with some questions, and she always responded to my emails personally, and was very helpful and encouraging. I’ve been able to converse with her via twitter, and she has taught me so much about the value of having a close relationship with the reader. Thanks Larissa!

J.K. Hogan has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, magic happened. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her stories as she writes them. J.K. is hoping to one day have a little something for everyone, so she’s branched out from m/f paranormal romance and added m/m contemporary romance. Who knows what’s next?
J.K. resides in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. A true southern girl at heart, she lives in the country with her husband and young son, a cat, and two champion agility dogs. If she isn’t on the agility field, J.K. can often be found chasing waterfalls in the mountains with her husband, or down in front at a blues concert. In addition to writing, she enjoys training and competing in dog sports, spending time with her large southern family, camping, boating and, of course, reading! For more information, please visit www.jkhogan.com.

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