Robyn’s book TREASURE ME is a finalist in the Bookseller’s Best contest!

Congratulations to StacieD for winning one of my books! Please email me (robyndehart @ gmail. com) your choice and your mailing address. And thanks to all who answered my questions, it was fun reading all your answers.

Now I’ve blogged on this before, but it’s been a long time and since I really love this questionnaire, I figure it might be cool to do it again. Especially since life changes and therefore our answers might too.

Ever watch Inside the Actor’s Studio? It’s on A&E and I totally love it. For those of you who might be unfamiliar with it, it’s set in a film school (acting and directing) and the host has one actor on stage and they go through the actor’s work, asking questions about techniques and whatnot. And then at the end the students get to ask questions themselves. I always think it must be a scenario not unlike that RWA’s National conference where the cream of romance’s crop is often available for workshops and questions. And it’s just really fascinating to listen to actor’s talk about their craft in similar terms to how I’m used to creating characters and story. But the best part of the show is right before the host turns the actor over to the students and he ends with a famous questionnaire.

What is your favorite word? CRISP – it’s the perfect onomatopoeia

What is your least favorite word? ENVELOPE – I never know how to say it

What turns you on? MY HUSBAND’S LAUGHTER

What turns you off? ANY KIND OF HARM TO CHILDREN

What sound do you love? My DAUGHTERS’ GIGGLING

What sound do you hate? SQUEALING BRAKES

What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? WINDOW PAINTER – I’d love to do those holiday paintings on store windows

What profession would you not like to participate in? PODIATRIST – I cannot imagine wanting to work on people’s feet

What’s your favorite curse word? BASTARD

If heaven exists what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? YOUR LOVED ONES ARE WAITING OVER THERE

Answer it with me, and then tonight at midnight I’ll randomly pick a winner to receive an autographed copy of one of my books – your choice.

If you’ve been reading my books for any length of time (especially my most recent titles) you probably know that I love my historical romance with a little bit of mystery, adventure and suspense thrown in. I don’t think I started out intending to write books like that, per se, I think it just kind of happened. Partly because I like to read books that have a lot going on in the background. I think it’s probably because I cut my teeth on Amanda Quick and Johanna Lindsey and they have lots of adventure/mystery type subplots going on while the hero and heroine fall in love. Amanda Quick’s step back covers even made it perfectly clear you were in for more than a “simple” romance as they had pictures of several scenes from the book, sword fights, embraces, etc. I loved them.

That being said I also really love just a good solid romance where you’ve mostly got the hero and heroine, maybe some secondary characters, but mostly it’s just them falling in love. There’s something so comforting about settling in with a book and falling in love right along with the characters.

The book I finished not too long ago (that I’m currently shopping) is the first in a trilogy that’s an historical romantic suspense series. It’s dark and gritty and packed full of danger and passion. It was exhausting to write and a huge challenge, but I’m really hoping it finds a home because I think it’s quite likely the best thing I’ve ever written. BUT two weeks ago I started working on a new book. It’s still a historical, but it’s a little shorter than my other books and there aren’t any dangerous subplots, no adventures, no mysteries, no quests, its just the hero and heroine, characters around them, but mostly just them. And you know what, I’m having a ball. Literally, at times, because there are ball scenes with dancing and loads of snappy dialogue. It’s so refreshing to write something without worrying where the villain is and whether or not I need to be setting a booby trap.

So how about you? How do you like your romance? Straight up or with a side of mystery or suspense or even some paranormal woo-woo?

*side note* I’m on round 2 of antibiotics with some steroids and my brain is really fuzzy so if this blog doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, I blame it on the drugs.

I heard it said once that once a book is out in the world, the characters no longer belong to the author, but instead the reader. I didn’t pay much attention to this tidbit at the time and frankly, as an author, I wasn’t quite so certain I believed it. I rarely think about my readers, all of you out there sitting down with a copy of one of my books and diving in. I have a hard time thinking about someone getting lost in the characters that I create as I do on occasion when I’m reading a particularly great book. Reading becomes harder when you’re a writer, I’m sure many of you have heard a writer say that before. It’s not so much that we’re constantly critiquing the works, it’s just harder to lose yourself in a story.

So back to that statement… I don’t know that I tend to feel particularly possessive about other people’s characters very often. But it has happened. Most recently it happened when I finally succumbed to Hunger Game mania and I dove in. Within a week I had downed all three books and I felt quite thankful that I had waited as long as I did so that I could gorge on all the books instead of waiting for their release as I had done with the Harry Potter books.

But it was after I had read the books and I was sitting in the theatre with my niece watching the movie. She hadn’t seen it and I had taken the advantage of my sister being in town to watch my kids so I could take her daughter to see it since she is also a lover of the books. I became agitated in the movie, annoyed at some of the younger audience members who giggled and snickered during some particularly tender moments. And I realized in that instant why, it was because I was offended that they weren’t getting it, they were making these moments cheap and belittling them. Because those were MY characters. That was MY Katniss and MY Peeta and they could just leave if they couldn’t appreciate what was going on on the screen. Now granted much of the emotional progression of the characters was missing from the movie for the sake of time, but still the movie does a lot very right.

Every now and then you read books. Magical books that dig inside you and burrow deep into your soul. Characters that hang on and refuse to let go. Lots of books are great, wonderful even, but some books go beyond just a good story. Their worlds become so real, so engrossing that to leave them is nearly painful, as if you’re grieving a dear friend. I don’t want to leave the world of the Panem, of Katniss and Peeta and Gale and Haymitch. I don’t want to walk away from them. I felt this when the Harry Potter series ended. Satisfied with the way the story was told, but also a great sadness that the tale was over, that my journey with the characters had come to an end. Of course I can re-read them, but nothing ever feels the same as that first time turning the pages as fast you can (or clicking the kindle button as was my case) and grabbing on to every word so as to not miss one morsel of story.

I don’t know if I ever accomplish that as a writer. I don’t know if I have any readers out there who have been that engrossed in the worlds I create. Mine aren’t as unique and original as those you find in books with a more fantasy bent. But when I read books like these, they make me want to be a better writer, make me want to strive to create characters that haunt readers all the way into their dreams, that make readers clutch the book to their chest and sigh heavily when its all said and done because they’re sad to leave the characters and the world in which they dwell.

So how about you? Can you easily lose yourself in the world of books? What are some of your favorites that have totally captured you and made it hard to leave the characters?

I don’t know how many of you pay any attention the lottery, but the Mega Millions jackpot is now up to $500,000,000.00. Yes, that’s half a billion dollars. I’m guessing that’s a mind boggling amount of money for all of us. I can’t even wrap my brain around it. Frankly a million sounds like a lot of money or even half a million.

We don’t normally play the lottery at our house though we occasionally buy a scratch off ticket. But my parents play weekly. We’ll probably buy a ticket though for this one because why not. I mean what if? Yes, the odds are astronomical, but in the end someone has to win. So why not me. Why not you?

So for today let’s pretend we’ve won and let’s plan our money. What would you do if you won a huge chunk of cash? Let’s ignore all the responsible things we’d do like pay off debt and the debt of our loved ones cause well, that’s not all that exciting. Let’s instead jump to the fun stuff. Let’s dream and fantasize about all the lovely things we could do with a truckload of money. What would you do if tomorrow you won millions of dollars?

For me earmarking a lot of the money would be easy. First up for the DeHarts a trip for me and the Professor. We haven’t really been on a real vacation, that wasn’t tied to one of our conferences, since our honeymoon. So I’d immediately book us, first class, of course, to a lovely and quiet beach with beautiful ocean views, lots of spa treatments, and delicious fruity cocktails.

Other vacations I’d purchase:
*Walt Disney World for our whole family. Our girls are getting to the age that taking them to the magic kingdom will be such a blast!
*a research trip to Great Britain. It’s been more than 10 years since I was last in England and I’ve been dying to return. This time though I’d love to see Scotland and parts of the country I’ve only seen in my mind and in pictures.

I’d but a minivan. In fact, maybe this is the very first thing I’d do. Pretty much since The Professor and I got married we’ve been a single car family. This has always presented some challenges, but it has been particularly difficult since we became parents. And I’d love a fully loaded, brand new, Honda Odyssey.

Okay so I’ve listed several selfish indulgences, but I would also want to give money to some worthy causes. St. Judes has always been a cause near and dear to my fault so I would send them some money. As well as I would send money to or set up an organization to better fund foster families and families that deal with kids that frankly don’t have much more than the clothes on their backs.

So how about you? How would you spend a windfall of cash?

So a while back the Professor and I were at the movie theatre waiting for the movie to start – I don’t even remember what we were seeing – and before the previews you know the special stuff they show? Like sometimes it’s behind the scenes of a movie or a first look at a new show or, well, you get the picture. In any case this time it was a piece on an upcoming TV show that was still months away. But the preview totally grabbed my attention so I made a note on my phone to look it up when I got home. And thus started our (and I say our because The Professor is right there with me in this!) obsession with Pretty Little Liars.

Now I know this series (which is on ABCFamily) is based on a series of YA books, under the same names, but I’ve never read them. I’ve heard the TV show is quite different. But here’s the basic premise – 5 teenage girls, the best of friends until one of them goes missing. The four remaining go their separate ways until a year later when a cyber-bully starts sending anonymous texts and emails with threats regarding secrets the 4 girls share, signing everything with a simple “A.” The show is over the top with all kinds of teenage melodrama and for the first several episodes I wasn’t certain that any of the main characters were even likable, but something kept us riveted to the screen.

It’s mostly the mystery that keeps us coming back. As I mentioned before the characters aren’t exactly stellar citizens. For one there seems to be a rather alarming number of pseudo-pedophiles in the fictional suburb of Philly – one girl has a romantic affair with her High School English teacher, but we’re to believe it’s okay because he’s young and well, they’re really in love. And then yet another of the girls has had a sorta affair with her older sister’s ex-boyfriend who is a successful doctor and we’re to believe that this handsome doctor, who yes is clearly in his 20′s, but still is hot and well, British, that he can’t find any suitable women his own age. Like I said, it’s totally over the top, yet like some sort of delicious train wreck, we can’t look away.

So here we are into season 2 and tonight we will finally find out the identity of “A”. I can hardly wait. Alright, I’ve confessed my guilty pleasure, what’s yours? Any other PLL fans out there?

Romance writers are asked that question a lot. A by real book, I can only assume they mean a literary type, Oprah book club type book. I can’t say I’ve ever been asked that particular one, but I’ve had similar inquiries. Have you ever thought of writing __________? And well, when people ask, I consider it, I think about it, I’ve even had some ideas in other genres, but when it comes down to it, I’d have to say a resounding NO! Now perhaps there will come a day when I change my mind. I do, on occasion, read outside of the genre (though I read genre fiction almost exclusively).

The Professor and I have discussed writing a book about adopting through the foster care system and raising kids that have a, shall we say, bumpy past. But when it comes down to my writing itch, that thing that draws me back to the keyboard again and again, well, it’s all about the love.

Okay, that’s a little simplistic, but romance is where it’s at for me. I love to read them and I love to write them. All of my great ideas, the ones that tug at me and insist to be written, they’re all romances. Oh they always have subplots, mysteries and adventures and dead bodies and humor and suspense, but at the core, they’re about the hero and heroine. And they’re *almost* always historicals. More often than not the voices I hear in my head (it’s okay I can admit that, I’m a writer!) are British. I couldn’t speak with an English accent if my life depended on it, well, I could try, but we’d probably end up with a bad imitation of Margaret Thatcher. In any case, my characters talk, that’s how the books tend to come to me, in dialogue, that’s where the story comes alive and I hear their lovely English voices.

I’ve read plenty of great blogs out there on the merits of romance and I agree, romance rocks. I’m not sure I could speak eloquently on it though. But I heard Jayne Ann Krentz speak once on why she thought we were drawn to the stories. She talked about those key fairy tales that sit at the core of romances, you know Beauty & the Beast, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty – just think Disney. In any case, she just talked about how those old stories resonate with us and if you consider who old they are, they’ve been resonating with people a very long time. Case in point, Beauty & the Beast is a retelling of Cupid and Psyche. That’s old stuff people! For us romance readers, when we are subjected to those stories (and we tend to be drawn to certain types of stories again and again) something clicks inside of us and we’re like YES, this is gonna be a good one.

I know for the books that I write, they’re all, in some form or another, Sleeping Beauty – or if you prefer The Ugly Duckling – it’s all the same core myth. A coming of age or coming into your own beauty and worth. People talk a lot about the reluctant hero, my heroines are often the reluctant ones, spinsters, the lot of them!

In any case, if romances aren’t real books then I guess I’m happy writing “fake” books. So how about y’all, do you ever get asked similar questions? Or as a reader, do you feel you have to defend your reading choices? And what core myth or fairy tale do you think draws you in the most?

In other news, I found out last week that my first two books, Courting Claudia and A Study in Scandal are going back into print (they’ve been out of print for a while) and will soon be available for order at your favorite on-line bookstore.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my girl crushes and for sharing your own. The five winners are Rebe, Eap, Fran, Barbara, and Cathy P. Shoot me an email at robyndehart @ gmail . com with your snail mail address and I’ll get your autographed copy of Treasure Me in the mail.

Have you noticed how often we talk about sexy men on here? We post pictures, we share new crushes, we drool on our keyboards, okay maybe that’s just me. But we love men and we love our heroes, the ones we read, for us writers, the ones we write (I always fall in love with my heroes!) So I could share some pictures of some hotties with you today, like the oh-so-sexy Jonny Lee Miller here. But….today I actually want to talk about heroines or the lovely women who might inspire the characters that people our books.

So without further ado, today I am sharon guy lady crushes. That’s right folks, here is my list of those women that I just find flat out mesmerizing. Some of have found their way into my books, but some are waiting in the wings to be case in just the right roll.

I mean y’all had to know this was coming. I know there are lots of Angie haters out there, but I’m not one of them. However you feel about her personal life and some odd choices she’s made over the years (hello, Billy Bob) you can’t really deny that she’s beautiful. Almost abnormally so. I mean really what must it be like to wake up in the morning and see that in the mirror. But it goes beyond her appearance. There’s something about her, the cadence of her speech, the way she moves, she’s just, well, mesmerizing. Its for that reason that I watch her in nearly anything, which explains why I am a fan of the Tomb Raider movies. Shut up, they’re entertaining.

Ah, sweet Minnie. Who doesn’t love her? Maybe it’s just the fact that her role in Circle of Friends resonated with me. Or maybe it’s her slightly awkward laugh. I don’t know, but whatever Minnie does, she charms the socks off me. She’s pretty without being obnoxiously so and well, maybe I just have a soft spot for her because she was the first actress who inspired one of my heroines.

Well, no list, male or female, is complete without the funny one. Oh how I love me some Emma Stone. Quirky and sassy, she’s the perfect inspiration for any heroine, historical or contemporary. She’s got a great wry smile and intelligent eyes and a one-liner for any situation. So I guess Jim Carrey isn’t the only one crushing on her.

Elegance and femininity are all I can think of when it comes to Kate Winslet. I suppose her lovely British accent doesn’t hurt, she just sounds so proper. And she can look stunningly beautiful but in such an unassuming sort of way it’s so easy to imagine her as that wallflower heroine that hero sees standing in the ballroom, fidgeting with her fan and trying not to roll her eyes when her mother tells her for the fourth time to stand up straight. He, of course, is entranced, and we follow right behind him.

Okay and just because I can, here’s a little more eye candy for you….

So how about y’all? What actresses catch your attention every time? Which ones are your favorite to imagine as the heroines you read about? I’ve got five copies of Treasure Me to give away so comment and you just might be a winner!