Author Spotlight - Claire Robyns

Today we welcome one of Carina Press' launch authors, Claire Robyns. Claire's historical romance novel, Betrayed, is now available on-line here. I am especially delighted to be introducing Claire as she is a fellow South African (albeit living now in England).

Claire, thanks so much for joining us here today. Now let's get onto those Minxy questions ...

Where were you in your writing career five years ago?

I’d been concentrating on writing and submitting category romances (no luck yet), learning the craft with shorter titles and spending a lot of time in the eHarlequin forums. Interestingly, it was around 5 years ago when we moved from South Africa to the UK, I had several months off work to settle the family in and grabbed that opportunity to try my hand at a longer length book and started writing Betrayed.

Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?

I’ve always loved reading historical romances. After a writing session where I was once again trying to rein in those pesky secondary characters, it struck me that historical romance is the one genre where intruding secondary characters are welcome and Betrayed was born. Literally. The title came to me first, and I built my story and characters around that. Most of my plots come to me as a title or single-line blurb, and then I weave the story and characters to fit in. My writing life would be a lot easier if the full story came first in a dream and I just had to think up a good title to match.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years' time?

My ultimate dream is to be a full-time writer. Not because I hate the day-job, but because I love writing more and there are just not enough hours in a day. That’s what I hope for, anyway. What I know for certain is that in 5 years I’ll still be writing because I cannot imagine not doing it.
Betrayed is also my debut book, so I hope to have built up a backlist of sorts in 5 years time.

Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl. Not the whole book, just these few lines…
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.
I never even saw it coming.

I can’t get over how those lines hooked me in while I was flipping through the book in the bookstore. If I could ever have that effect on my readers, I’d be a happy gal!

Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be an author?

I could give you a long list of authors I love… Karen Marie Moning, Judith McNaught, Virginia Henley, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Liz Fielding, Trish Wylie… I’d better stop now, but the list is nowhere complete.

But I’d have to say that all authors out there made me want to be a writer, because it was my passion for reading that one day turned into a passion for writing… and that started when I was about 6 years old reading The Secret Seven and The Famous Five.

Do you find writing love scenes giggle-worthy or cringe-worthy - or neither?

I used to find the idea of writing love scenes cringe-worthy, but when I eventually wrote my first one, I found that it wasn’t at all.

Currently I’m finding the idea of readers reading my love scenes cringe-worthy, friends and family in particular – hopefully once Betrayed is released and being read, I’ll discover that it isn’t at all.

What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?

Ooh, this is an interesting one, because I didn’t particularly find it romantic at the time. My husband proposed by tossing the engagement ring into the deep end of the pool and suggesting we go for a swim. It was the middle of winter.

Me: Are you crazy? It’s the middle of winter.
Him: It’s refreshing.
Me: I don’t think so.
Him: Just give it a try. Come on, it’ll be fun. Don’t you trust me?
Me: Um, no!
And so it went on until he was finally forced to admit what he’d done and that this was actually a marriage proposal. I should add that we had a couple of friends around at the time for a dinner party.
Me: What? You’re asking me to marry you?
Him: If you—
I have no idea how that sentence ended. I was underwater. He joined me and we had to dive a couple of times to find the ring, lol.

Thanks to a few too many glasses of wine, afterwards I actually thought it was a pretty fun way to propose. It was only years later, once we’d been married for a while, that I started to regard that proposal as truly romantic. Because it was so typical of my husband. Everyone who’s known him in Cape Town jokes about his tendency to swim all year round, usually in the middle of the night. And he made sure our close friends been invited that evening to share the moment with us.

Now when I think back on that proposal, I get a warm smile in my heart that I would not feel had he done something totally out of character like take me to a fancy restaurant.

What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were published?

Well, this is something I’d been told many times, but never really believed it: The fear of rejection doesn’t stop once you’re published.

Now I know it’s true.

In fact, I’m dreading rejection now far more. Before, it was only a nameless face writing a form rejection slip out there somewhere. No one beside me knew about it or cared. But now I’m worried about a reviewer slamming my book on a public blog. I’m worried that readers will hate it, or worse, what if no one bothers to actually buy my book? Will my publisher realize too late that they made a huge mistake in thinking my writing had any merit? Will my editor love the next book I’m working on or will she totally hate it?

The fear of rejection doesn’t end when you’re published. Believe it!

What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?

Take what good you can from a rejection and then toss it aside and don’t look back. If you’re a writer, you’re going to get rejected again and again and again. It’s not easy to keep the belief in yourself and it’s important to remember that every rejection is subjective and not necessarily based on the quality of your writing and story content. I had this repeated to me many time over through the years and it really helped to keep me believing in myself.

Tell us about your latest release.

Betrayed is a medieval Scottish romance set in the reign of the first King James I, shortly after his release from England.

Two Feuding Families
Amber Jardin has no taste for the bitter feud started before her father’s banishment. But now that he’s passed, she’s had to return to Scotland and his barbaric people. After her bloodthirsty uncle kidnaps one of the family’s rivals, Amber is in turn captured by Krayne Johnstone, the enemy laird. Despite their enmity, their attraction is immediate—and unfortunate, as Amber has sworn to escape.

One Lusty Temptation
Krayne is amazed at the wildcat’s repeated attempts to flee. He should steel himself against her beguiling ways—yet with time, he is driven more witless with lust. When the ransom exchange fails and Krayne is left with Amber, he finds he cannot tolerate the thought of her with another man—and she cannot tolerate the thought of returning to her uncle’s home.

Will passion and love win out over mistrust and betrayal in time to prevent an all-out war?

Krayne Johnstone became laird of Wamphray at the age of 12. He’s a man shaped by the harsh land. His heart is for pumping blood to his sword arm and nothing else. Before he could even start to fall in love with Amber, I had to teach the poor man what love is. But he is honorable and noble, and he has excellent reasons for distrusting scheming women.

Amber Jardin has led a pampered life in England and is totally unprepared for the barbaric realities of Scotland. But she’s not one to simper and bemoan her fate. She’s determined to shape her future and use whatever means on hand to do it. In this case, it’s her body. Amber is not perfect, far from it, but then I’ve never liked my heroines flawless. I don’t necessarily approve of everything she does, but I admire her courage and determination.

You can read an excerpt at http://www.clairerobyns.com/Betrayed.html

What's next for you?

I’m currently working on another medieval Scottish romance, although this is not a sequel. Different set of characters, and set in the reign of Queen Mary of Scotland.


Well, it’s been fun and thanks again to the Minxes for having me here.

Betrayed is available now from http://ebooks.carinapress.com/026A5BD8-2831-404E-82AF-1C9903BC944C/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=9127C110-9462-4474-876C-C00F3C131E37, on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble.

You can connect with Claire Robyns on
Website: http://www.clairerobyns.com/
Blog: http://www.clairerobyns.blogspot.com/

Wimbledon – A Writer’s Perspective by Minx Maya

This was supposed to be a post to introduce myself *properly*as a Minx. But frankly, I didn’t think the blog world would find me that interesting. I mean, you don’t want to hear me prattle on about my, er, chest-to-chest meeting with Vernon Kay when I literally bumped into him (we were rounding the same corner) three years ago, do you? If the answer is yes, then let me add quickly that his eyes are that sexy and yes, his chest was all manly and hard – my chest felt it!

If the answer’s no, then let’s move on.

As an armchair sports enthusiast, of course I’d secured my place for the Wimbledon Final this year (I needed something to focus on after England’s triumph at the World Cup). Even before the tennis match started, I knew I’d be supporting the underdog, Tomas Berdych. This previously little known player who seems to have come out of nowhere and *gasp* beaten Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic was definitely one to watch.

Before long though, his uphill battle against a frankly superior Rafael Nadal was reminding me a little too vividly of how tough it is for new writers (see what I’ve done here?) and in my heart I knew he’d lose despite his fearless fight.

What sustained me through the match and made me root for him even harder was the knowledge that he, like every writer with a dream of being published, had learned pick himself up after every set back. He kept hitting the ball after every game and set lost in the hope that maybe, just maybe, all his hard work would pay off.

As writers we have to do the same thing – we pick ourselves up after every form rejection, rejected partial, rejected revisions, and (the toughest of all) rejected fulls, in the hope that eventually the right book will land on the right desk, the right editor will send it up the chain, resulting in the ultimate prize that is The Call.

My first call came via email a little over a year ago and while I treasure it immensely, I yearn for the other Call, The Big One, the life changing one that every writer dreams of.

The Wimbledon Final also reminded me that hard work pays. I have no doubt Berdych will come back stronger – he’s too determined not to. He won’t give up and neither should any writer out there who dreams of the winning the magic prize.

And just to make this even remotely a get-to-know-Maya post, I’ll repeat what my late grandmother used to tell me whenever I had a setback – everything in life happens for a reason. Take it as a lesson and learn from it.

I took that advice to heart and practiced what to say to Gary Barlow from Take That the next time I took his call about the leak in his bathroom. Alas, I left that property management job over 10 years ago so the chances of reliving that moment are nil! But I did pluck up the courage to say hello to Gordon Ramsay when he turned up at my office last week. I hope that made my grandmother smile…

Happy writing!

What not to do at your first conference

Conference season is almost upon us. Attending your first conference can be a bit like your first day at school – new faces, timetables, worried you’ll have no one to sit with at lunch…
Being a veteran of a whole one conference I’m eminently under qualified to dish out advice but that’s never stopped me before ;-)
So…

Don’t:
1. Succumb to the ‘Do I know you? Should I know you? Have I read you?’ paranoia. If in doubt just smile and talk about that great common denominator – biscuits.
2. Take any credit cards or cash unless you’re prepared to buy lots of books. Every author will do such a brilliant job of selling themselves that the urge to buy their book and then chase them round campus, pen in hand and asking for autographs, will almost certainly overtake you.
3. Talk banal drivel to a badge-less person. They will undoubtedly be VIWs (Very Important Writers) and while they might be glad of a change of subject from their RITA successes and multi book contracts it will make you look a bit of a prat. (Checking your accommodation list reduces this risk, take it from someone who wished she’d done that last year!)
4. Underestimate the importance of the tea queue as a source of great advice. Some of the best tips I picked up last year weren’t in the seminars but while reaching for a jammy dodger.
5. Forget where you put your water when a talk begins. You’ll inevitably kick it over the shoes of the person in front of you. (Sorry if that was you. Hope they dried out okay!)
6. Be afraid to eavesdrop – really, you’ll pick up great gems of gossip about publishers, the nitty-gritty of contracts… all that stuff that no one puts into writing out of political correctness.

Do:
1. Take advantage of opportunities to chat to editors and agents. Where else can you get instant, informed feedback from those in the know?
2. Expect to go home more enthused about getting stuck into writing time than seeing your nearest and dearest again!

If you're attending the RNA conference this year come and say hello to me, Lorraine Wilson and fellow minxes Joanne, Romy and Maya.

Author Spotlight - Donna Alward

Today the Minxes feature the lovely Donna Alward who is so unselfish with her time and always has such wonderful advice for struggling pre-pubbed writers. After reading Donna's answers to our Minxy questions, we're sure you'll join us in thanking Donna for taking time out of her hectic schedule to join us today!

1. Where were you in your writing career 5 years ago?

UNPUBLISHED! I was getting close though--I sold my first book 9 months later (in March, 2006) so I was probably working on the book or books that ended up being my first sales.

2. Where did you get the idea from for this particular book?

HIRED: THE ITALIAN'S BRIDE, which is my first reprint, was actually inspired by a book I wrote before selling. So many things didn't work in the early version, but I did like the idea of a heroine trying to reclaim her life and doing it in the small Rocky Mountain resort town of Banff. The original story had an English story, and I rewrote it with a sexy Italian. I had the heroine as an assistant too, and in this story, she's the acting manager. It does make her butt heads with the hero quite often - something that really puts her out of her comfort zone. And I gave her a different backstory, too - one that really ended up being quite emotional and I loved writing her character arc and how she found herself and also gained her confidence again. Mari has a lot of courage, and Luca is strong and yet gentle enough to understand what it is she needs.

3. Where do you hope to be in 5 years time?

Now that would be jinxing myself wouldn't it? And yet--I've always believed in seeing where you want to be and going for it. David Foster said in his book "Hitman" that the road to success is straight let's just say I still see myself writing, and hopefully expanding my readership in a big way. I also see myself putting in a lot of work to get there ... by then I'll have girls in high school so I also hope to still be SANE. :-)

4. Which was the last book you read that you wish you'd written?

Oh, Gosh! I read the More Than Words anthology which features Harlequin bestsellers and really enjoyed it. I also read Jessica Hart's Oh-So-Sensible Secretary, and had writer envy most of the way through. But Jessica's voice is so very different from mine. I really don't want to emulate anyone. I just want to write the best Donna Alward book I possibly can.

5. Was there any particular author or book that made you want to be a writer?

I say this so often, but LaVyrle Spencer made me fall in love with Romance novels and I have always kind of hoped that I might tap into a fraction of the wonderful warm feelings her writing inspires. I have read her books so often most of them are falling apart. I have been writing since I was a child, but I can't deny the influence her stories have had on me.

6. As a writer for the HMB Romance line, can you tell us what drew you to that line or did the line 'choose' you?

The line kind of chose me - once I found my voice. I fit there. Once I figured it out, it became easier to write the kind of story I needed to write. I knew what sort of story they were looking for and I had the voice for it. It was then a matter of working to get the writing and story elements in line. It took me a few mss to get there, but I finally hit the right notes with HIRED BY THE COWBOY.

7. What's the most romantic moment of your life so far?

After 19 years with the same man, 15 of those married - I can't list just one. But there are moments that stand out. Our first kiss. Dancing beneath the stars while our children slept in the camper. Finishing my first novel and calling him at work to tell him I wrote THE END - and having him show up late for dinner. I gave him a hard time until he told me he'd stopped on the way home to buy me something to celebrate - a new watch. But it's not grand gestures. It's sitting together on the deck and having him reach over and take my hand, or ordering supper if I've had a crazy day. That's real. That's what keeps you going through the tough times.

8. What do you wish you'd known about being an author before you were pubbed?

How hard I'd work. It doesn't get easier; in fact it gets harder as you go along. Being published isn't the key to the city. There may still be rejections, struggles, missed deadlines, poor sales, stress over time management ... I wasn't completely prepared for that. But, you know, I've had books that didn't sell as well as I'd hoped, I've had rejections, and I still get frustrated when writing feels like pulling teeth and I'm still here. Still writing. Still loving the mailman when he delivers author copies and smiling when I get reader mail. It's a damned hard job, but it's a good one. :-) I can't imagine doing anything else.

9. What's the best writing advice you've ever been given?

Oh gosh! I've had a lot of good advice but I'll never forget my first editor at Mills and Boon, Maddie West, telling me to go ahead and take risks. Editorial can always pull you back if you go too far, but taking risks can really result in extraordinary fresh stories.

10. Tell us about your latest release.

This year has been crazy with releases which is very good for me. :-) I had an ebook release from Samhain Publishing in April - Sold to the Highest Bidder. It will be out in print in February. July sees the reprint Hired: The Italian's Bride in the UK in the anthology Mediterranean Men and Marriage along with stories by Carol Grace and Raye Morgan. Then in October, Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle is out in the UK, and will be out in North America in February 2011. I round out the year with two releases in November - a reprint of A Bride for Rocking H Ranch, a Christmas novella in another UK anthology and Breathe from Samhain Publishing. There are excerpts from all these titles on my website.

11. What's next for you?

I have two more stories written for the romance line that are just waiting for final approval and revisions. This summer I am switching gears a bit to work on an independent project that I'm really excited about. I can't wait to get some chapters in the hands of my agent!



You can catch up with me at my website http://www.donnaalward.com/. I'm also on Facebook - Donna Alward, Romance Author and on Twitter - @donnaalward. Stop by any of those places and say hi!

Monday Minx - Sri

I’ve postponed writing about myself for 2 weeks and not because I’m lazy. Being 33 weeks pregnant, working full time and managing a 2 year old are making me forgetful. But my fellow minxes have been patient with me, so before they go, 'where is Sri again?' :) here I go. Being the least 'popular' of the minxes, not in terms of being hated, we are all lovely people, but as in, even with a blog of my own, I’m what they call an online recluse, I thought I would just mention a few points about me instead of a boring bio about how ordinary I am.

1. My father and my grandfather were both writers, and I grew up surrounded by books, so my eternal love story is with books. I think it was Romy who said she was a book whore and I'm right there with her. And I adore Romance, and find myself looking for it even in the most suspenseful crime thriller.

2. English is not my mother tongue. But, I have studied it through high school, so can’t use that as an excuse for bad grammar.

3. I’m a vegetarian. I’m asked once at least every day by one of my colleagues how I do it, and I say “I never ate meat, fish, or chicken in my life. So really, it’s easy for me.”

4. Once I had discovered Romance novels at the age of 13, I was obsessed with reading as many as I could lay my hands on. And this didn’t make my mother happy for she was worried about my grades. So I used to cover the novels with school text covers, hid them in my 7 year old cousin's school bag, because she didn’t check his bag like she did my own, and even bribed my brother to bring them home for me without her seeing them.

5. Being a part of the minxes is the best thing that could have happened to my writing because I’m surrounded by a fabulous group of lovely ladies who all get what I do every day and whose help can only make me a better writer. So, love ya minxes!!!