Muse Wednesday -- Wendi Zwaduk

Monette February 13, 2013

I want to welcome Wendi Zwaduk to Muse Wednesday. I met Wendi as a pre-pubbed author at Lori Foster’s Reader and Author Get-Together. Wendi pitched to me (I was representing my publisher at the conference), and her energy won me over. She sent me something and I made comments and then she subbed. Now, she is a published author and if I had even a small part in making that happen, I am thrilled.

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I want to thank Moni for having me here today. I love talking about the Muse and how she gets my stories rolling. Plus hanging out with Moni is always fun!

When I sat down to write Somewhere I Belong, I knew I wanted to write about farmers. Seems like a sort of boring thing to write about, doesn’t it? Not ranchers, not guys with lots of horses, but farmers. Why? I grew up on a farm. I’ve been around farmers all my life. Oh, and where I live now? There are farmers everywhere. Yeah, I’m surrounded by the Kenny Chesney, “she thinks my tractor’s sexy” set.

But there’s a little bit more to the story. I started writing Somewhere I Belong over two years ago. I set out to write a story that captured the essence of what I live with and what I’d grown up with. I also had a more personal connection. My dad, a life-long farmer, lost his job. He’d worked as a farmer but also at a factory to make sure we had enough to have food on the table and clothes on our backs. But he’d lost his job. Now I wasn’t making enough as an author to help them out, but I thought if I wrote a story with a farmer and the trials of being a farmer, then it might bring awareness. It also was sort of a story for Dad, even though I know he’ll never read it. Romance books aren’t his thing.

I have to admit, Sully isn’t a thing like my dad. Dad isn’t one for tats or piercings, but Dad does play a mean air guitar. But hey, we can’t all be perfect.

I finished the story and was happy with what I’d come up with. Granted, the muse wanted me to write a story for the brother and a couple other people, but that will happen when it happens. The muse was happy because I got to play with my tatted, pierced and totally un-farmer-like farmer. Oh, and did I mention picture hunting for inspiration? Oh yeah! There is a lot of inspiration to be had out there if you’re looking for a tatted farmer. If I owned the rights to the pictures, I’d share. Alas, I don’t. Rats!

Want to know more about me and the book, Somewhere I Belong? Click on the cover.

Bio:

Here’s a little about me.
Like spicy romance? So do I! Come along on this journey with me.
I’ve always dreamt of writing the stories in my head. Tall, dark, and handsome heroes are my favorites, as long as he has an independent woman keeping him in line. I love playing with words and letting the characters run wild.