GILL - Jenny Brown had spent much of her writing career teaching people about computers and diabetes - that was until she met an unrepentant rogue and the lovely, demure astrologer he seduces. Brown, who has lived in the Pioneer Valley for the past 40 years, most recently in Gill, has published her first romance novel and is working on her second, which is expected out next year.

"I'd never thought about writing romance," said Brown. "The story grew out of friendships I made online with a group of talented women writers, both published and unpublished. They were writing a variety of genres and someone suggested I try my hand at romance. It's not as easy as you think."Brown, who is an astrologer herself, took some ideas for her book, "Lord Lightning," straight out of her life, while other ideas just "grew" in her head, she said.

The book combines a few of Brown's interests: love, history, psychology and astrology. She said the novel is dark and sensual, complex and historically accurate. "Lord Lightning brings everything I love together in one place," she said. "I really enjoyed delving into intense emotions and, of course, practicing the love scenes wasn't so bad!"

"Lord Lightning" is in stores now. Harper Collins-Avon is mass marketing the book, which Brown said can be found in Wal-Mart and other chain stores. Brown, a single mother of two, enjoyed exploring personality and history for the novel. She used her own techniques to create astrological charts to develop her characters' personalities.

"I put what I knew into practice," she said. "The rest happened on the page."Brown said she did a lot of writing and rewriting. "I'd put something on the page and realize it wasn't what I meant to write," she said. "I kept going until I got it. I'd write three months, put it aside and pick it up again."

Brown, who has been living in Gill since 2003, has a master's degree in history and an undergraduate degree in computer programming. In 1982, she was part of the IBM team that produced the first commercial e-mail program, PROFS. Her first nonfiction book, "The Programmer's Survival Guide," was published in 1987. She published it under the name Janet Ruhl.

Since 1987, she has published seven nonfiction books, most recently "Blood Sugar 101," which was written under the penname Jenny Ruhl. Brown grew up in New York City and left there when she was 17. She ended up in Boston, but soon realized she wasn't happy living in the city.

"I did better in a country setting," she said. "I knew people who lived in the Valley, so I moved here and loved it. That's why I stayed."She said she loves writing in the Valley - especially Franklin County - because people are so welcoming and accepting. "And, you can live here without making a whole lot of money," she said. Brown has been writing professionally since 1987, but said she's really been writing her entire life.

Whe she began her switch to fiction in 2001, she didn't really understand the structural issues of the genre. "One of my friends is a brilliant teacher of writing," she said. "That helped me. So, I decided I wanted to write about love in the 19th century. I love the language of that period."

"Lord Lightning," is the first of Brown's Seventh House series, in which each of her heroes will be a different sign of the zodiac. She uses astrology to motivate her characters and said readers will get to know them through the zodiac.

"I mix a bit of the occult in with my regency stories," she said. "My books are literary, but also deliciously good tales and good love stories."Brown describes "Lord Lightning": His behavior is shocking. He is an unrepentant rogue with a wicked reputation. His conduct is outrageous, ensuring no woman will ever get close enough to hurt him.

That is, with the exception of Brown, who created him, and Eliza Farrell, who falls in love with him. A demure, lovely astrologer, Farrell casts a chart that tells her Lord Hartwood (Lightning) is capable of great, passionate love.

You can imagine where the story goes from there. RT Book Reviews gave the book four stars. "Here's a debut novel that literally shines like the stars," the review reads. Brown said the advice she would give any aspiring writer is to "write what you enjoy reading. ... Oh yes, you have to read."Brown also said writers have to be patient. The first idea isn't always the way the novel turns out.

"I started planning this novel in 2000 and started writing it in 2001," she said. "I set it aside after Sept. 11, 2001, and picked it up again in 2007. And, it didn't sell immediately."She runs a small press, publishing nonfiction books about developing software. She has been self-employed since 1986.

"I've been writing in the meantime," she said. "I decided to join an online writers group. I've met a lot of professional writers and we share a lot. It's a source for deep, creative friendships."She said nonfiction comes very natural to her, but fiction has been a struggle.

"It's one of the most difficult things I've done," she said. "It's very different, and it forced me to use my imagination. We seem to be more uncomfortable with that the older we get."The myth of romance novelists Brown wants people to know that romance novelists are not pink, frilly ladies and they're not writers who can't write.

"There are some brilliant people writing these types of novels, and they're using pennames," she said. "There are a lot of people who read them, too. Think about how difficult it is for the writer ... you have to find 100,000 words that keep people turning the page. If writers weren't doing that, readers wouldn't be reading them."

Brown said what surprises her most is that it seems more people want to be novelists than anything else on earth. "The funny part is, a lot of them have not read many novels," she said. "That's a must. I can't stress it enough."

Brown doesn't know where her characters come from, but hopes they capture the hearts of readers. "My characters just show up most of the time," she said. "I bring them, kicking and screaming, into reality."Brown said writing is fun, but when she's on deadline, it can be grueling. "Then ideas or characters can't just show up; you have to push them a little," she said. In her first romance novel, her hero is a Leo and her heroine is a Scorpio.

"There's a lot of mistrust and discomfort there," she said. "I gave the book to a couple of Scorpios, and they said I nailed it. It makes for a more interesting romance ... you'll see."She said the entire process has been challenging, but she has enjoyed every minute. She said the technical parts of the sex scenes were most difficult to write.

"My children (all three in their 20s) were horrified that I was writing sex scenes ... I don't think they want to read them," she said. "But, they're very proud of me. Most of all, Brown said she wants readers to walk away from an enjoyable experience. "Love does happen ... you can't get around it," she said. "I hope readers get the enjoyment I did from this novel."