Why I Write…
Jane Cutler Yepez
Stories have always fascinated me–not just what happened, but how people lived through it.
My work explores family, memory, resilience, and the ways individuals respond when the world around them changes. I am especially drawn to stories about people who are forced to reinvent themselves, find unexpected strength, and create new beginnings.
Whether writing historical fiction, contemporary fiction, or memoir-inspired narratives, I am drawn to characters navigating change, cultural differences, family legacy, displacement, and self-discovery. My stories ask how we become who we are, what we inherit from previous generations, and how understanding the past can transform the present.
Current Projects
I am seeking representation for Leah’s Legacy, a multigenerational historical novel that begins in the Russian Empire during the chaos of the First World War and the Bolshevik Revolution, and follows one family’s journey across the Twentieth Century. At its heart is the story of the enduring impact of one young girl’s courage.
A current work in progress is set in Jamaica during the early 1980s and explores the collision between a young American woman and a culture she does not understand during a period of political turmoil. The protagonist comes to an understanding through hard lessons and personal growth. The novel examines the gap between what we think we know and what is actually unfolding around us.
I am also developing a work of fiction tentatively titled Consciousness, an exploration of how we come to develop an identity of ourselves.
Biography
I have been writing since I was a child, inspired by a very creative mother who wrote children’s books. My writing skills have largely been put to use for commercial purposes–print, radio and TV advertising, newsletters, speeches, and letters for highly paid executives unable to execute a cohesive thought in the English language.
At long last, I am using my skills for my passion for fiction writing.
Leah’s Legacy is my debut novel.
Some of my all-time favorite novels include The Gold Finch by Donna Tart, The Known World by Edward P. Jones, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, The Lincoln Highway and A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon -- and too many others to mention.
I am a member of the Author’s Guild and Historical Novel Society.