We talked about writing a book together since Lynn was in grade 8 but then she did what all kids do. She grew up, moved away, got work, had kids, got busy. We still talked about writing but more in a fantasy kind of way, as in…wouldn’t it be great if we could? In the early days she read and researched historical fiction. She knew her stuff. I was sure when we started writing, if it ever happened, she would lead the way…but then she found LGBT Romance, specifically Achillean or M/M (men loving men) and she started to ask me questions. How does an author make us care about the characters? How is a story built so the reader can live inside of it? Could we do that?

Of course, I thought we could, but before we tried, she started me on a primer of the authors she loved best at that point in her reading. She wanted me to read everything, and I tried. In this post, what I would like to do is give you a very short list of the amazing authors who made Yukon Winter possible by being the muse beneath our wings.

Remember though, that since we started, these writers have inspired other generations of authors who may be wondered the same things we were. I wish I could but I can’t name them all, not in one post. We have also discovered Sapphic or W/W (women loving women. Check out FlashPoint Publications for some amazing choices). All of these books and the people I have met through them have been important to us and have put us into worlds that changed our viewpoints about almost everything.

In this impossibly short list you will find: mystery, fantasy, contemporary, medical, magical, horror, historical and crime fiction just to name a few. They redefined the parameters of romance in my life and gave me more than just well written love stories. If you love our book check out some of these authors and then look to see who else is out there. Do you like spicy, sweet, or hard-hitting reading? Its all there.

Most of the people we followed added spice, and so we did too. All of them built characters and settings that captured us and wouldn’t let us go. We want that for you too.

This doesn’t even touch the authors during our lifetimes of reading journeys in other genres. It’s only one small part. Let us know who else you think should be on this list. and who inspires you.

Mary Calmes https://marycalmes.com/

R Cooper https://www.riscooper.com/

Kim Fielding https://kfieldingwrites.blogspot.com/

Rhys Ford https://rhysford.com/

Alexis Hall https://quicunquevult.com/

TJ Klune https://www.tjklunebooks.com/

Amy Lane https://greenshill.com/   (fans of fiber check out the Granby knitting Series)

NR Walker https://nrwalker.net/

Where ever you are in your life, who supported you and made you who you are now?