Get into Bed with Donna Lea Simpson (Author Interview)

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Q - I had so much fun reading Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark; what was your inspiration for the book? Do you have any photos you worked from for the imposing castle and grounds?

A - Thank you, Keira... I appreciate the kind words! I am a rational person, and so is Lady Anne. When she hears a werewolf has been spotted, she thinks, 'big dog on the loose'. Once I saw that, and put it together with the Georgian era, when there was a lot of superstition (not that there isn't that now!) the rest flowed from there. As for photos of the castle... what actually inspired Darkefell Castle is a pen, ink and watercolor picture I bought at a rummage sale; it is of an old castle with a modern (Georgian modern, probably mid-1700s) addition, and it is exactly Darkefell Castle! I've searched and searched online, but I can't find the original that the artist worked from.

Q - What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Thinking up the plot.

Outlining.

Writing it.

Editing final drafts.

Depends upon what stage I'm at working, what I would answer to that question. Right now I would say, final editing is agonizing, because you know that after it's gone, sent off to your editor, you will likely not have any opportunity to substantially change the course of the book again. You have to be sure of it!

Q - How did Sourcebooks find out about your novel?

I have a great agent with his nose to the ground, looking for intriguing new opportunities. When we were looking about for a publisher for the Lady Anne series, he included Sourcebooks Casablanca among the recipients, as he found their recent acquisitions interesting. We took it from there, sending it to the acquisitions editor, Deb Werksman, and she like it!

ladyanneQ - How much time do you spend writing each day (or each week, if you prefer)?

It depends on a) what I'm writing and b) what else is on my plate. If I have a book due, it's full-time days writing. If I have a book being released, then promotion takes over. But most days, overall, I tend to write about five hours a day.

Q - What do you think is the greatest creative risk you've taken?

Blending mystery and romance so thoroughly in the Lady Anne series. I adore romances with mystery elements and love mysteries with a strong thread of romance, and I hope readers do, too. I mean, both romance and mystery are parts of life, why can't they co-exist in a novel genre?

Q - What are some plot devices you like? Can't stand?

I don't know so much if they are plot devices, but I despise emotionally manipulative writers, the ones who set you up to have certain expectations, then dash them. I think they believe that it's more 'literary' to put characters (and readers) through pain than to give them a happy ending. Not necessarily.

Also, I hatehatehate (I feel so strongly about this I had to repeat it three times!) writers who aren't true to their characters. When I close a book, I want to know, even if the end is sad, that it makes sense, that how the characters acted was true to their soul as the writer created them, and not some behavior that feels superimposed by the author because he or she had a certain ending in mind.

As for plot devices I like, all I ask of a writer is that they are true to their characters, and I'll go with almost anything!

Q - Could you provide a picture of your bookshelf?

I don't have just one bookshelf! They're kind of scattered all over the house!

Q - Share some of your favorite books!

Favorite books... ah, the list is endless! A Flaw in the Blood, by Stephanie Barron blew me away... such a great writer. People know her from her fabulous Jane Austen as a detective series, but she's good at everything she writes. I like classics, of course. Who hasn't been inspired by Pride & Prejudice? But for day-to-day reading, I love mystery novels! Anne Perry, Victoria Thompson, many others!

Q - What do you do to relax and get away from writing? Is there something that really gets you away from it all?

Mostly, just ordinary stuff. I love to read; I can't imagine there's an author alive who wouldn't say that! Reading is such a great escape, and that's what I try to write for my readers, a great escape from care and worry. I do have a few hobbies - including karaoke - and hanging out with friends on the weekend. That is about it. I'm a very simple gal. A good book on the patio and a glass of wine or cup of tea is about the perfect end of a day.

Q - I have a spoiler question... Will there be a sequel so that Darkefell can win over Lady Anne? Oh please say yes!

Okay, I'm not one to release spoilers, but I will say this much, in Lady Anne and the Ghost's Revenge (August 2009) things heat up considerably between Darkefell and Anne, and in Lady Anne and the Gypsy Curse (November 2009) the passion reaches bonfire proportions on the heat scale! Some do like it hot!

Q - How do you define love?

Love: wow, definitions are tough, but my idea of love is caring so much about another person, that you put them first in your thoughts. You know their faults and don't give a damn. You would make any sacrifice to make them happy.

Q - Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

I had a great time with these characters; they often did quite unexpected things! And I hope readers enjoy them as much as I did writing about their adventures.

Visit me at http://www.donnaleasimpson.com for more information on the Lady Anne series, and if you'd like to learn more about the Georgian era, in which they are set!

Originally posted 2009-04-04 05:11:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Donna Lea Simpson on Gothic Romance

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by Donna Lea Simpson, guest blogger

I read a few gothic romances when I was much younger... you know, the kind with the cover that shows the girl running from a castle wearing a floaty dress. I keep getting, from readers and reviewers, that I write Gothic historicals, but I never set out to do that. Maybe Gothic style just comes naturally to me.

The usual set up of a Gothic, historic or modern, has the heroine trapped somewhere with a man who may be some kind of dangerous, murdering madman. Or... he may just be a nice misunderstood guy, but he insists on keeping secrets from the heroine and everyone else! The one facet of the heroine's character that is vital to the Gothic plot, is that she cannot leave the mystery alone. She doesn't pack her bags and escape the castle in a timely fashion, she doesn't just shut her mouth and ignore the weirdness, she's compelled to pick away at the hero's mysterious behavior, open the door to the forbidden room, or descend to the cellar from which the weird, clanking noises come.

In this sense, I suppose Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark (Sourcebooks Casablanca - April 2009) does follow classic Gothic sensibility. There are mysteries here, weird things afoot at night, and Lord Anthony Darkefell, the dark brooding hero, is not telling all he knows. Lady Anne Addison is the ultimate intrepid heroine, not willing to let the mystery rest. She must know the truth! However, Gothic heroines often seem to blunder mindlessly through the novel, making discoveries by accident, and Lady Anne uses all of her wits and considerable skepticism.

ladyanneOne enormous difference between Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark and the true Gothic is the use of the hero's viewpoint. Gothic novels never feature the hero's viewpoint, because to do so dilutes the 'unknown'; a viewpoint character exposes some of their soul to the reader, or it's not proper characterization. I wanted readers to get to know Darkefell, to understand him, and his changing feelings for Anne.

I guess when you get down to it, the use of some aspects of the Gothic is just plain fun, both for the reader and writer. In Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen had great fun with Gothic sensibility. Her heroine, Catherine Morland, imagines all kinds of horrible things-that General Tilney murdered his wife, or imprisoned her-until she is shown how wrong it is to let her imagination run riot like that.

Now, in a true Gothic, Catherine's worst fears would have been proved right!

Another big difference between my Lady Anne books and classic Gothic style, is, you never get a sequel to a Gothic. I have managed to stretch the series to Lady Anne and the Ghost's Revenge (Sourcebooks Casablanca - August 2009) and Lady Anne and the Gypsy Curse (Sourcebooks Casablanca - November 2009), and having fun all the way, with Lady Anne and Darkefell's increasingly romantic entanglement.

I hope you all enjoy the books, and I would be interested in hearing if you feel there are Gothic elements in the book, and how they work to the story's benefit, or detriment. I had a great time with these characters; they often do quite unexpected things!

Visit me at http://www.donnaleasimpson.com for more information on the Lady Anne series!

Donna Lea Simpson is giving away one copy of Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark today. Open to US and Canada readers only. Enter by leaving a question for Donna or by telling us why you love/hate Gothic elements in romance! Winner will be announced April 1, 2009, no joke... sorry couldn't help myself. :D

Originally posted 2009-03-31 05:57:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Best of September 2009

Happy October everyone! Let’s take a glance at the whirlwind that was last month! LRP saw 8 guest bloggers share 11 articles. I went on a mini blog tour for my birthday stopping off at talking with everyone at Babbling About Books and More, Desert Island Keepers, Smexy Books, and Medieval Bookworm. I also guest blogged with Isabel Roman and Book Thingo. Thank you for having me! I had so much fun!

September also saw many contests and I would like to take a moment to thank Danielle Jackson and Sourcebooks for putting it all together for the readers of my blog. Also, Susan who put together a second guess the author contest. It’s much appreciated!

September's 11 Most Commented Posts:

Guest Bloggers:

Author Interviews:

Guest Book Reviews:

Between the Sheets:

Movie Reviews:

Polls:

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Applauding the Romance Publishers

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by Susan Sigler, guest blogger

I’d like to take a moment to applaud the following publishers. Not only do they publish the greatest books ever, but they offer wonderful discounts, sponsor contests, most keep up blogs, and many have Yahoo groups. It goes without saying, authors work extremely hard to bring us beautiful stories with their imaginative plots, but credit should be given to those behind the scenes to publish the author’s vision. So without further ado, here are ten publishing sites I visit regularly. I hope many of you will visit, and it’s my wish you will win their contests or find new authors that peak your interest.

Publisher #1 St. Martin’s Press

http://us.macmillan.com/SMP.aspx

2 of their authors- Sherrilyn Kenyon and Cherry Adair.

Publisher #2 Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

http://samhainpublishing.com/index.php

Samhain has monthly ebook and print contests.

Publisher #3 Sourcebooks, Inc.

http://www.sourcebooks.com/

Sourcebooks has special offers and great discounts, beautiful Jane Austen E-cards to send to friends and family. They also have authors Amelia Grey, Carolyn Brown, and others.

Publisher #4 Ravenous Romance has a free short story, discounted books and audio books. Two of their many authors- Isabel Roman and Cecilia Tan.

http://www.ravenousromance.com/

Publisher #5 Harlequin has publishers like Mills & Boon, Harlequin, Silhouette, MIRA, and Steeple Hill. Harlequin offers Free Book Fridays and gave us 16 free books to celebrate Harlequin’s 60th anniversary, aren’t they divine?

http://www.eharlequin.com/

Publisher #6 Loose-Id is an erotic romance e-publisher With authors like Cheryl Dragon, Marie Harte, Ann Lory and Moira Rogers, is it any wonder we love them.

http://www.loose-id.com/

Publisher #7 Kensington Publishing Corp. they have contests. Listen to these authors: Delta Dupree, Heather Graham, Devyn Quinn, Lynsay Sands, and Sasha White.

http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/

Publisher #8 Ellora’s Cave has free short story reads and authors like Jaci Burton, Tracy Cooper-Posey, and Marie Treanor.

http://www.ellorascave.com/

Publisher #9 The Wild Rose Press has free reads and the author J.L. Wilson.

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/

Publisher #10 Hachette Book Group (HBG) has approximately 9 publishing groups with links to contests you can enter. One of the authors they publish for is Jennifer Haymore, remember A Hint of Wicked? If you enjoyed it, thank HBG.

http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

This is not a comprehensive list it’s a summary, there are many other publishers I’m not familiar with and therefore didn’t mention. Please note, due to limited space and time constraints, I did not name the many hundreds upon hundreds of authors they publish. I simply made reference to my favorites, and the ones I believe you’d recognize upon reading.

If you can enlighten me with other publishers, by all means tell me. I’d love to hear about them.

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Interview with a Hero: Keirnan Fitzgerald

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by Loucinda McGary guest blogger and author of The Treasures of Venice

Thank you for inviting me to blog with you today. I’m excited to be promoting my newest release from Sourcebooks Casablanca, The Treasures of Venice. This book is a romantic suspense with paranormal elements and a dual storyline set in both contemporary and Renaissance Venice.

American librarian, Samantha Lewis is in Venice on what should have been her honeymoon, but she called off the wedding after learning that her fiancé cheated on her. Sitting in an outdoor café in St. Mark’s Square, she is feeling a bit sorry for herself when a handsome stranger approaches her and asked her to play along with him. On an impulse, she does and goes with him into the Doge’s Palace.

Charming Irish rogue, Keirnan Fitzgerald never met a lock he couldn’t pick. But he finds himself in Venice on a dangerous mission. His sister, a Renaissance scholar has been ruthlessly kidnapped. The ransom is the legendary Jewels of the Madonna, stolen and missing for over 500 years. Keirnan’s plans do not include becoming involved with a beautiful American tourist, but he and Samantha seem drawn to each other in an almost other-worldly way.

As the story behind the jewels original disappearance in 1485 unfolds, Samantha and Keirnan question if they are soul mates from a previous life. Or are they merely pawns in a relentless quest for a priceless treasure?

Now that you know a little about the book, I thought you might enjoy an interview with the hero, Keirnan Fitzgerald. My critique partners, friends, and thus far the readers and reviewers have been very enthusiastic about this charming Irish rogue. They’ve all expressed interest in learning a bit more about him and I thought the readers here at Love Romance Passion might like to know too. (Special thanks to my critique partners Cathy D. and Jo-Mama who helped with some of the questions.)

TreasuresofVeniceCVR.inddLoucinda McGary: Hello Keirnan, you have a somewhat unusual name. Is it a family name?

Keirnan Fitzgerald: As a matter of fact, it is. I was named for both my grandfathers, Keirnan Fitzgerald and Sean Farley. My sister was also named for our grandmothers, Kathleen Mary, so I guess you could say it’s a family tradition.

LM: In the story The Treasures of Venice, you mention being kicked by a horse as a child. Did you grow up around horses?

KF: Most everyone in County Kildare does. All the finest Irish thoroughbreds are born and raised there. My father was a trainer on one of the smaller farms.

LM: But you didn’t want to follow in his footsteps?

KF: Ah, no. I saw too much of the more unpleasant aspects of the job growing up to want to spend my life doing it.

LM: How in the world did you go from a horse farm to Venice?

KF: That would be my sister’s doing. She studied there for a semester during her early days at university, and she couldn’t get enough of the place – became a bit obsessed actually. When she moved there to do her graduate studies, I used to visit her on school holidays. Unlike her, I never wanted to live there. America was the place for me, the land of opportunity and pretty girls. First chance I got to go there, I jumped at it and I’ve lived there ever since.

LM: What is it about American women you find so appealing?

KF: Most of them have a fresh-scrubbed look about them that makes them appear to be both innocent and sexy at the same time. And most of them are incredibly direct. No doubt about where you stand. Oh, and most of them also find an Irish accent irresistible. (He gives a knowing smile.)

LM: Back to the storyline of The Treasures of Venice, what would you have done if Samantha hadn’t gone along with you? Did you have a Plan B?

KF: (chuckles) Darlin’ I didn’t even have a Plan A! I had that funny feeling on the back of my neck that I get when I’m being watched or followed. I saw a pretty girl sitting alone at a table in Piazza San Marco. I could tell by the way she was dressed that she was American. She looked familiar somehow, so I just walked up to her and took a chance.

LM: It never once occurred to you that she might say no, did it?

KF: (shuffles his feet and looks a bit sheepish) I adore the ladies, and most of ‘em adore me, so honestly, no. I didn’t think what I’d do if she refused. Luckily, I didn’t have to worry about it, did I? (His blue eyes gleam and he winks.)

LM: You do have quite an adventurous streak, don’t you? So how many times have you wound up naked in some strange woman’s hotel room?

KF: Don’t ya know a gentleman never kisses and tells? And I am a gentleman.

LM: All right then, what is the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?

KF: Why fall in love, of course. Nothing’s more dangerous than risking your heart.

LM: One last question, certain people in The Treasures of Venice believe you and Samantha were soul-mates from a previous life. Do you believe you that?

KF: If you had asked me that before I met Samantha, I’d have told you it was all a pile of rubbish. I still think perhaps it might be. But I do believe in true love, and when you meet the one for you, you will know it.

LM: On that lovely note, we’ll end our interview. But if you have any questions for Keirnan, please ask away! Oh, and if you have any questions for me, his creator, I’ll be happy to answer those too.

L McGary Photo1

About the Author

Loucinda McGary took early retirement from her managerial career to pursue her twin passions of travel and writing, and sets her novels of romantic suspense in the fascinating places she has visited. She was a finalist in the 2006 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest in Romantic Suspense. She lives in Sacramento, CA. For more information, please visit http://loucindamcgary.com/.

Buy: The Treasures of Venice

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Sourcebooks B&N Heyer Receipt Promotion

Danielle at Sourcebooks sent me this awesome contest promotion that gives readers of this blog two ways to win awesome prizes. Read on for details:


This September, Sourcebooks is exclusively releasing The Foundling by Georgette Heyer in Barnes & Nobles stores Nationwide!!

Sourcebooks is holding a fabulous receipt promotion! Send us your receipt/proof of purchase of The Foundling from your local Barnes & Noble to our office or a scanned receipt in an email to danielle.jackson@sourcebooks.com and you’ll be entered to win a $200 Barnes & Noble gift card! Receipts must be dated between September 1 – September 30, 2009, and can be from an in-store or online purchase. Any questions please contact danielle.jackson@sourcebooks.com.

But WAIT—you can win a book from Sourcebooks now! As a thank you to Love Romance Passion for helping spread the word about our B&N Heyer Receipt Promotion, Sourcebooks is giving away 2 books from the list of books below! Leave a comment about your favorite Heyer moment and you’ll be entered to win your choice of book! 2 winners—US and Canada addresses only please.

Sourcebooks is so excited about the warm embrace everyone has given the Georgette Heyer reissues! Good luck—we look forward to hearing from you!

Send your Barnes & Noble The Foundling receipts to

Sourcebooks, Inc.

c/o Publicity

PO Box 4410

Naperville, IL 60567

Remember: Leave a comment! Two lucky commenters will be able to choose a book from the following:

  1. The Spoken Word Revolution edited by Mark Eleveld
  2. Poetry Speaks Expanded edited by Elise Paschen and Rebekah Presson Mosby
  3. Letters From Pemberley by Jane Dawkins
  4. How (Not) to Have a Perfect Wedding by Arliss Ryan
  5. Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake by Laurie Brown
  6. A Chain of Voices by Andre Brink
  7. First Lady by Michael Malone
  8. The Ultimate Bartenders Guide by Ray Foley
  9. Improvisation for the Spirit by Katie Goodman
  10. The Successful Novelist by David Morrell

Join our Georgette Heyer mailing list!: http://www.sourcebooks.com/spotlight/georgette-heyer.html

How cool is that? Much thanks to Danielle and Sourcebooks for this fantastic contest! I'm going to announce the 2 lucky book winners on September 7th, 2009. So comment early and often! Tell me what book you would get if you won and/or why you love Georgette Heyer!

Buy: The Foundling

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Get Into Bed With Robin Kaye (Author Interview)

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I was lucky enough to get an interview with Robin Kaye so soon after her debut. What follows is our transcript! Enjoy and happy reading!

LRP: I just finished reading Romeo, Romeo and it was in two words: simply phenomenal. No wonder you won the Golden Heart in your category. Can you tell me about the process you went through for RWA? How did you feel?

Robin: The process you go through to enter the Golden Heart is pretty easy--the hardest part is making the decision to enter. It was definitely the best $50 I ever spent.

My goal was to score in the top 50%. I never thought I’d final. I sent my entry off and promptly forgot about it. I didn’t pay attention to the date they were to announce the finalist because in my mind, finaling wasn’t a possibility. I thought I’d get my scores when they hit my mailbox. When I got the call telling me I had finaled, I was shocked.

After I arrived at Nationals, Deb Werksman from Sourcebooks, one of the final judges, emailed me and asked if I would meet with her to talk about Romeo, Romeo. Four days before the awards ceremony, she told me an offer would be forthcoming. After I sold Romeo, Romeo, I thought the conference couldn’t get any better. Boy was I wrong. I was just as shocked to win as I’d been to final. It was an amazing conference for me, and it’s going to be a hard one to beat.

LRP: When did the idea for Romeo, Romeo first come to you? How did you get started?

Robin: I was taking an on-line writing class on point of view and the first assignment was to write a scene in first person.

I had just made a 20-quart pot of spaghetti sauce, dumped my meatballs in, and had ten minutes until I could stir the pot. I hate waiting those ten minutes. They always seem to last an eternity, so wearing my “The trouble with eating Italian food is 3 days later, you’re hungry again” apron, I ran into my office and wrote a scene with an Italian family around the Sunday dinner table. It was the scene in which my heroine, Rosalie Ronaldi, realized that there was an expiration date on uncommitted relationships. The scene was cut from the final manuscript, but I fell in love with Rosalie and her family, and I knew I had to write her story. It almost killed me to cut that scene, because it was so funny, but it wasn’t wasted. I used it in my blog. That made me feel much better.

LRP: Were you ever afraid or stuck in the writing process?

Robin: I don’t remember getting stuck with Romeo, Romeo. I believe writing books is like giving birth. We tend to forget the pain shortly after it’s over. If we didn’t, we’d probably never go through it again.

I do remember getting stuck when I wrote the second of the Domestic Gods books, Too Hot To Handle, and I remember very vividly being scared to death that I’d never be able to finish it. I was also afraid that Romeo, Romeo was a fluke and everyone would discover I can’t write. Hold on, I’m still afraid of that!

LRP: How did you decide on the characters’ names? Did they come to you at the same time as the novel idea did or did that take some effort?

Robin: I’m terrible with names. I named Aunt Rose first, after my great Aunt, who was one of the strongest women I ever knew. She was loved and feared by all. Then I thought, in the Italian tradition, I’d name the eldest niece after Rose, but not the same name. So I came up with Rosalie. Annabelle was easy—she was tall and beautiful. In Italian, Annabelle means beautiful Anna. It fit. I spent a little more time naming Nick. I knew I wanted him to have a name that could be shortened, so I picked Dominick. In the first chapter or two, I was calling him Dom, but Judi Fennel, my good friend and chapter mate, insisted I change it to Nick. Then I got the idea about a mistaken identity storyline, so the Dominick/Nick name worked well. Thank you, Judi.

I have a hard time remembering names, so when I needed a doctor, I named him after my doctor, Mike (just the first name). I had no idea that Mike would be so much fun to write, that he’d end up being the hero of Too Hot To Handle. Now, when I go into my doctor’s office, all the nurses ask if I really wrote the book with Dr. Mike as the hero. The answer to that is NO! That would be way too icky! Although I do think he gets a kick out of telling his wife he’s a hero in one of my books. LOL He’s a great sport and my go-to guy whenever I need to cure one of my characters. He doesn’t even get too mad at me when I forget to tell him the person I need to cure is fictional.

LRP: I just love your writing style – do you plan to use the same witty style and narrative in future books or do you expect to have to curb or tailor your writing to fit new characters and situations?

Robin: Wow, thanks for the compliment! I don’t think my writing style has changed, but in Too Hot To Handle I dealt with some deeper emotional issues. One of the funniest scenes I ever wrote is in Too Hot To Handle, but it also has a more serious side to it. I still have a snarky best friend, Becca, who I absolutely adore. Ben, my heroine’s boss, was a blast to write, and the family members and Dave the dog are there to lighten things up too.

LRP: What are some challenges you’ve faced while writing romance?

Robin: Other than the blank page? Juggling a busy family along with deadlines is a huge challenge. Too Hot To Handle was the first book I wrote on contract, and I found that to cause a lot of stress. Also, my kids are getting older and more active. One of the three is a pre-professional dancer who is home schooled and dances 25 to 30 hours a week at a school and hour and a half away. There’s never a free minute. However, I get a lot of help from my husband, who’s a true domestic god, and my children are amazing. We’re a team and we all support each other. I’m really proud of my family. It’s not always pretty, but it’s working, for the most part.

LRP: Here’s an easy question: what do you like most about writing romance?

Robin: I love escaping into my characters’ lives and playing God. I love that I get paid to do what I would always do for free. I love the industry and the amazing people I’ve met since I joined RWA. I love that I found people who actually ‘get’ me. All my life I was always in trouble for daydreaming. It was on every report card growing up. I love that with the help of RWA and the fabulous writers in it, I turned my bad habit into a career. When you’re unpublished, people call it daydreaming; when you’re published, people call it plotting. I love that my teachers were wrong. I wasn’t a daydreamer, I was a plotter.

LRP: Okay now comes a tough question: in your own words, what is love?

Robin: Love is a decision. It’s a verb. It’s what you do. Love isn’t a feeling – that’s lust. Love means loving someone even when you don’t feel like it, because believe me, there are times in every relationship when you’re not going to be ‘feeling’ the love.

LRP: And another toughie: what do you think makes a great bedroom scene?

Robin: Chemistry between the hero and heroine, a build-up of sexual tension, humor, and I really believe a love scene has to move the plot forward. The characters have to change or be changed by it in order for it to work.

LRP: Could you provide a picture of your workspace? I would love to see how and where you work!

Robin: First of all, I have to say how much I love my office. My husband and I are remodeling our 100 year-old Victorian and my office was the first room we finished. My husband actually raised the roof on this part of the house (don’t ask me how, since he did it all himself) so I have a vaulted ceiling that goes up 13 feet at its peak. He even ragged the walls so it has the look of parchment that I love. The rest of the house might be falling apart, but my office and both bathrooms are beautiful. Here are a few pics:

LRP: Fill in the blank. If you aren’t writing you’re ________.

Robin: Driving, cooking, eating, or sleeping.

LRP: Is there anything else you’d like to share with the readers of Love Romance Passion?

Robin: I’d like to thank you all for having me here. I hope you enjoy Romeo, Romeo. I’m always amazed at how generous readers are. My book has been out less than a week and I’ve already gotten several lovely notes from people telling me how much they enjoyed my book. You can’t imagine how much that means to me. Writing is such a solitary activity. Having someone tell me they like what I’ve written is a wonderful and humbling experience. So I thank you all.

LRP: Thanks for joining us Robin!

If you have a question for Robin, drop us a comment and we'll forward them to Robin.

Robin is also part of a collective blog for Casablanca Sourcebooks Authors.

Originally posted 2008-11-04 14:57:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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