Conversation with Robyn Carr - Romance
I am happy to welcome Robyn Carr. Robyn builds towns, character by character. Her writing is an excellent blend of women's fiction and romance. I discovered Robyn's Grace Valley series in 2005. I went back and searched out every book she'd written compared to that point. I swept up around the Virgin River series; then pre-ordered each new title.
Her first book Chelynne, a historical romance was published in 1978. In 2011 she became an "overnight sensation" whenever a Virgin River Christmas hit the newest York Times Best Seller list. Robyn's developed a home out there ever since. Her latest book, The Homecoming, the sixth book in her Thunder Point series, arrived on the scene in September, Company, you've got a possiblity to will a duplicate here.
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Thank you for being here, Robyn. I really like firsts, so tell me concerning the moment when you found you�d made your first sale.
There were just moved to CA and, as always, my husband had to leave town therefore it was me with two children in a house filled up with boxes. I did not know anyone, didn't have any idea my neighbors. There was no RWA however were built with a critique group back TX. We didn't have cellular phones or computers, I needed no way to reach my husband and long-distance was obviously a for each minute charge, something such as ten cents a moment which, in '78, was obviously a lot of money. I did not even have a wine bottle in the house. I made a number of long distance calls then I do believe I unpacked boxes. However i unpacked boxes with a smile on my face. The following morning I excitedly told the pre school teacher, the only person I knew. The very next day once i took my son to pre school, she afflicted me with a cake she'd created for me in the shape of an empty book. It said, "Chelynne by Robyn Carr" Her name is Janet and we're still friends to this day.
The amount of your actual life gets written to your fictional stories? Do you ever use real people as inspiration to your characters?
As inspiration-yes. But because actual characters, no. Real people don�t usually appear well in fiction. I take traits and experiences and emotional reactions from people I�ve met or find out about and blend them into composite characters. But experiences and items of dialogue from my entire life sneak in-happily.
What�s the most interesting comment you�ve ever gotten from a reader?
Oh, you can�t print it! My readers never get my titles right-they write and have me if I�m going to write any more of those �Virginia River� books. Or they want to know where Virgin River really is-they want to move there and acquire a big, studly marine. But the funniest one has ever been probably a typo: �Are you likely to write anymore of the �Vagina River� books.� Typo or Freudian slip.
Yes! I love most of these slips. I worked for The Theatre Guild in The big apple while Tom Stoppard's play,Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead was on Broadway. I got some very odd requests.. Someone called seeking tickets to LiederKrantz and Camembert. Another needed tickets for that play in regards to the Jewish butchers.
I did receive an email from your reader who was furious about my bigotry against Cubans. I used to be stunned and confused-I�d never written about Cubans. I suggested she'd me mixed up with someone else. She wrote back using the direct quote, detailed with page numbers-something about Jack being unable to shower off of the stench of stinky Cubans. It had been cigars! Cuban cigars! I pointed that out to her, but she was absolutely determined I used to be bigoted within my remarks.
Over a more serious side, a guy who lost a leg within the war wrote me which he was changed by Paradise Valley, the tale where Rick Sudder lost a leg within the war and came home a messed up kid. My reader said that he realized from the book he was an ass, thought it was magic his wife stayed with him through it, and lastly understood how badly he needed counseling, that she was going to accomplish. I wrote back and asked him how he found it and that he said his sister gave it to him-and his sainted wife was most grateful! Bless his heart!!
That's wonderful! - Romance
Have you noticed your writer�s voice has changed through the years due to experience? If so, how?
Undoubtedly I�ve both matured and relaxed. I�ve gained experience in the life and writing and I�ve relaxed into telling stories my way, the way that is natural in my experience. Both things help.
As an author, what kinds of books inspire you? Do you ever find time for you to read once you aren't writing your own novels?
I just read each day. Sometimes long hours, in the evening after dinner I read-and I'm inspired by everything Someone said, whether it�s mainstream or non-fiction or another genre. I've got a particular taste for contemporary romance and women�s fiction. My personal favorite authors are Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, Susan Andersen for example. For my reading pleasure I enjoy intelligent, romantic, humorous, sexy novels with strong heroines.
Your characters have issues. These. Plus that sense, sometimes your books feel a lot more like women�s fiction than romance. Is the fact that something you do purposefully?
This is exactly what I really like about women�s fiction! Every living woman has either faced those issues in their life or she has a sister, neighbor, friend, co-worker-someone she knows or knows of-who has grappled with women�s issues. The range of women�s issues is indeed wide, it�s infinitesimal. Women�s issues are the type issues that challenge a woman�s happiness because they�re women-everything from salaries to mothering to friendship up to the more dramatic and frightening problems with domestic violence, death, assault. We have seen people who make positive changes in their lives due to these challenges just as we've seen people really screw it up, make such bad choices it nearly (or perhaps absolutely) ruins their lives.
Needless to say men face the same issues/problems. But women and men think so differently about things. Males are better at compartmentalizing-they possess the job compartment, the husband compartment, the dad compartment etc. They don�t take into consideration how their home lives affect their relationship on their bowling team or their success or problems on the job. With women, things are attached to everything else-their tasks are linked to their relationships linked to cause real progress also to their fears, et cetera. And while men want a treatment for a particular issue in a specific compartment, women often examine everything that�s happening within them and around them.
It should be hard to produce characters and string their life stories through multiple novels. How do you keep everyone straight when you're from book to book?
Notebook! Huge notebook! By now, My home is Virgin River over the internet - everyday is like going home.
Are there any books, romance or any other genres, which have greatly influenced you as an author? What exactly are they?
Too many to count, really. The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy was a fantastic adventure; The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher was like falling in love with a family group; The Chicago Stars series by Susan Elizabeth Phillips was probably the most fun I've been in a romance series in forever.
Me too!
Robyn's latest series, Thunder Point, is placed in a tiny town on the Oregon Coast. I love these folks and also the setting. I would happily keep these things as neighbors. Her latest book will be the Homecoming:
In the age of nineteen, Seth Sileski had everything. A superb athlete and scholar, handsome and popular, he was the pride of Thunder Point. Destined for greatness, he lost it all in the terrible accident that put an end to his professional football career when it had barely begun. The folks in his hometown have never forgotten what might are already.
Seth originates to terms using the turns his life has taken. But now he's been offered a chance to go back home and show his father-and individuals of Thunder Point-he's turn into a better, humbler form of his former self.
Winning over his father is not the only challenge. Seth also needs to are able to convince his childhood neighbor and greatest friend, Iris McKinley, to forgive him for breaking her heart. With his homecoming, will Seth be able to convince town, his family especially Iris that he's finally ready to function as man that will cause them to become all proud?
And i also possess a copy to give away.
Robyn, thank you so much for being here.
I hope many people are likely to read this post and i also have only one copy with the Homecoming. To be able second and third prizes I am offering Serious amounts of Forever - the publication and also the Audio book. Please let me know inside the comments if you only desire to be entered for The Homecoming.If you're already a Robyn reader, who's your preferred hero? Mine is Jack, however it is an extremely tough call.