PHOTO: Mary Quast in her cosy Michigan log home, where she crafts passionate stories surrounded by nature and her beloved pets.
Finding Love And Meaning In Sensual Stories
Mary Quast shares how childhood legends, spiritual traditions, and natural landscapes inspire her sensual and emotionally rich romance novels rooted in Native American lore and authentic lived experience.
Mary Quast writes with a tender strength that seems born of the land itself. Nestled in a Michigan log home, surrounded by whispering woods and the wisdom of ancestral voices, she shapes stories that are both deeply sensual and spiritually resonant. Her words carry the hush of campfire embers and the pulse of wild things—human and otherwise—seeking connection, solace, and transformation.
Through her Legend of the Spirit series, Quast breathes new life into Native American mythology and shapeshifter lore with profound care and respect. Her characters walk between worlds, often in pain, often healing, always reaching toward something more—whether that be love, redemption, or a sense of belonging. It is in this space between vulnerability and resilience that her storytelling truly sings.
With an eye for beauty and a heart open to the natural world, she infuses her work with quiet wisdom and a grounded sensuality. Whether writing of intimate moments or sacred landscapes, she reminds us that love, in its truest form, is elemental—a force as vital and enduring as earth, wind, fire, and water.
Somewhere tucked away in the quiet woods of Michigan, is a log home where Romance Author Mary Quast can be found writing sensual contemporary romance or posting goodies on her blog, Romantic Interludes. With her descriptive writing style, Mary has developed a knack for creating intriguing characters and realistic settings. These features are prominent in the heat of her contemporary erotic romance books and her legendary tales of Native American shifters seeking their mates in the Legend of the Spirit series, part of the 1NightStand collection from Decadent Publishing.
What first inspired you to explore Native American mythology and shapeshifter lore in your Legend of the Spirit series?
I cherished my childhood summers at the family cottage on a lake in Michigan. The neighbor next door, a member of the Chippewa tribe and a professor at the local university, would thrill my cousins and I with the legends and dances of his people. He taught us the importance and spirituality regarding the balance of nature. His stories of people who could shift from human to animal at will inspired me as an adult to write my own versions.
How do your personal experiences and love for the outdoors influence the settings and emotional depth of your stories?
The Native Americans of my stateand my ancestors wove a tapestry of stories, lessons and recipes that have been passed through the generations. My respect for nature was ingrained in my soul. My father, a WWII vet, found solace in nature and taught me of the peace one can find in our environment.While sitting alone in a field or hiking with a loved one, tranquility and even romance can be experienced. I’ve traveled and observed many landscapes that often tell a story. I always carry a pad of paper to jot down notes. Sometimes, a landscape will give me an entire storyline and plot. For example, while traveling through the beautiful upper peninsula of Michigan where there is a large Native American population, ravens flew next to the car. I remembered the birds symbolize honesty in the Chippewa spirituality. Yep…a story was born during that trip. “Raven’s Wish” is currently a work in progress.
What draws you to the 1Night Stand format, and how does it challenge or inspire your creativity as a romance author?
I was one of the first authors the creators of the 1 Night Stand format approached. I loved the concept and saw not only the potential of working with other authors on ideas but also the growth the series could achieve. The format is simply the flour, sugar and salt of a recipe while the authors add all the other ingredients. I love the flexibility to allow me to have creative freedom. The experience can be exciting and has given me the platform to write the romance with the Native American characters I’ve created from the legends I heard as a child. Besides the three published books in the Legend of the Spirit series, there are four more I am working on.
Your characters often face emotional and physical healing—how do you approach writing such vulnerable moments authentically?
My goal is for readers to experience what my characters feel. If I write of something I personally haven’t experienced, I talk to those who have and as I write, I will allow them to “read over my shoulder” to make sure I’ve captured the authenticity of my goal. I have a few friends in the military and Native American friends who I run ideas past as well.In edits, I will reread what I wrote to make sure the images and emotions are jumping off the page.
In what ways has your journey with fibromyalgia shaped your writing routine or the themes you explore in your work?
Reading and writing is a form of escapism from the pain and frustration of having fibromyalgia. Being in my home office while the sun streams in a window or on my porch listening to the sounds of nature while I write sends me to my “happy place”.
You often combine sensuality with spirituality in your stories—how do you strike the right balance between the two?
Finding a balance is easy, it’s like a flow with one leading to the other. Sensuality is not inherentlysexual but encompasses all the senses and physical pleasures. By engaging in sensual activities as simple as touch, taste, smell or more complicated such as intimacy, one is more conscious of the total experience.This awarenesscan deepen connections; emotions arise and make an experience more meaningful. Byintegrating the senses with mindful intentioncan be a pathway to spiritual growth.
How does your blog “Romantic Interludes” contribute to building community among romance readers and fellow writers?
My original reason behind Romantic Interludes was for readers to find love and romance in everyday life. By using their senses, finding a reprieve in the stress and noise of life and enjoying small moments or interludes of romance. Cooking with a loved one, gardening, sipping a drink outside while listening to the birds or enjoying laughter during intimate moments are some of the ways to find romance every day. The blog has grown to promoting my books and my favorite authors, tips on writing, author interviews, and more. I’ve met many wonderful people via the blog.
What advice would you give to other authors who want to incorporate cultural elements into their writing respectfully and effectively?
My number one piece of advice would be if you aren’t a part of that culture, find someone who is and do the research. One must be respectful and sensitive when writing aboutanother culture. I was told by my college professor to write what I know, so if I don’t know something I will travel to experience, talk to people and research the daylights out of something.My Chippewa and military friends have been great sounding boards for me. I’ve also written a scene will sitting in a field before. Be willing to do the extra work.
