FAQ – Leah Leonard

1. When did you start writing?

I’ve been writing all my life, ever since I was a kid.  I was on the yearbook, newspaper staffs at several schools through elementary and junior high.  In college, I was Editor-n-Chief for The Appalachian, a bi-weekly newspaper at ASU – that’s Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. (We like to call ourselves the “Other ASU!” LOL) 

Later I worked at The Charlotte Observer newspaper back in the days when there was no computer pagination so the type would come out of a machine in column form and we put it on a waxing machine, cut it out and pasted it on to boards.  It was very artistic!  From there, I was offered a job as a sports reporter, but decided the pay was too low, so I went into advertising sales instead. 

About that time, I moved to Dallas, TX, where I still live, and worked for a direct mail magazine catering to  wealthy clientele.  We were always out attending posh events, and there, I got back into writing articles.

Next I went back to feature writing for newspapers. 

Finally in 1994, I published a small self-help book, and in 2001, published my first full length non-fiction book. 

It took ten more years to get the nerve to break out and do fiction, although it’d been in my mind since childhood.  I remember when I was a kid telling my mom I wanted to be the next Danielle Steele someday... 

By 2007 I took the plunge, and I am so happy I did!  I only wish I started sooner.  Fiction writing is by far the most rewarding work I have ever done in my life! I love it!

2. When did you know romance was your genre?

Again, when I was a kid, my mom and I devoured Danielle Steele novels, and since I was old enough to crawl, I watched shows like The Young & the Restless.  Funny, I used to think Victor and Nikki Newman were real people! 

I love romance because I’ve always been accused of wearing rose-colored glasses, and I think it’s important to experience happily-ever-after, when real life doesn’t always turn out the way we want. 

Romance gives people hope and shows the possibility we all want for our lives – to live a happily ever after existence.  Who says fairy tales can’t come true?  They have for me!

3. Where do you get your ideas?

Aside from reading romance and watching soaps, my other love is travel.  Most of my ideas come from places I’ve traveled to around the world. 

One of my personal favorite books I wrote is Kiss at Blarney Castle, about Ireland. 

I actually visited all the places described in the book. Now my readers take the book with them on Ireland vacations as a sort of unofficial travel guide!

While there, I took the train from Dublin to Cork, and caught a bus to Blarney Castle, just like Laura in the book.  On the way back, I really did meet a cutie on the train who told me he inherited his deceased uncle’s small plot of land in South Ireland. 

Somehow that brief encounter translated to Laura Malone’s sacred journey to scatter her grandmother’s ashes, and her romance with the heir of the Ennis Beer fortune (I couldn’t use Guinness, of course! LOL)

     My other book, Road to Casablanca is about my trip to Marrakech, Morocco.  In the book, Cindy Brown travels on a bus to see some Berber Indians.  I really did that on Christmas Day 2007!  The similarities end there, I’m afraid.  I did not meet any millionaire hunks!

The International Film Festival described in Casablanca ended the day before we arrived.  Hollywood’s finest had been right in our hotel less than twenty four hours earlier!  I thought what if….and Casablanca was born.  While taking a city tour of Marrakech, I saw a "Casablanca" sign with an arrow pointing staight ahead, and that’s where the title came from.

4. What authors inspired you over the years?

Danielle Steele, first and foremost!  She got me hooked on this genre!

Nora Roberts – I am in awe of both the quality and quantity of material she dreams up!

Vicki Lewis Thompson – a dear friend and prolific writer, I owe a debt of gratitude to Vicki for answering my questions as I ventured into the unknown world of fiction writing.  With over a hundred books and counting, she is an amazing role model!  Her Nerds series took her straight to the top, which is so inspiring!  Besides, she’s one of the sweetest, funniest people I know!

Jane Porter – aside from her wonderful books, including my personal favorite, Flirting with Forty, Jane officially became my hero when Flirting transformed into a Lifetime Movie Network feature staring my favorite drama queen, Heather Locklear. Impressive! (Yes, I'm also an old Dallas and Dynasty fan!)  More impressive is the nineteen long years it took for Jane to get published.  She never gave up on herself or her dream.  Way to go!

Links to some other writing friends of mine:

Catherine Spangler – she writes awesome books about Atlantis and has been true blue friend since day one!

Kym Roberts – a real life former detective who writes crime novels as only she could

Tricia Lee – a dear friend who has been a tremendous support to me since I started!

Also a special thank you to my mom Gail who was the first person to read Blarney and tell me I should seriously consider doing this for a living.  If not for her, this dream would not be a reality.  Also my dad Mickey and brother Mark have been amazing support, along with so many friends I can't list them all here!   No writer can hang in there without someone cheering them on and I am grateful for my friends and supporters!