Archive for Romance Author Bios
Interview with Romance Author of the Month Gina Robinson
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Romance Author of the Month Gina Robinson
Hello hello BestRomanceStories.com readers and welcome to yet another installment of our series on our Romance Author of the Month Gina Robinson. As you’ll have found out in our earlier article about her, Gina is the author of a number of successful spy romances.
Gina’s latest novel Diamonds are Truly Forever is a brand new Agent Ex book, and will be released on May 22. Gina was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions about herself… Read on to find out more about Diamonds are Truly Forever, what it is about spies that so fascinates Gina, and what skills she has that might make her a good spy.
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Q. Hi Gina and thanks for taking the time to join in for this interview! Your new Agent X book, Diamonds Are Truly Forever will be released on May 22. Is there anything you’d like to tell our readers about the Agent X series and your latest book?
The Agent Ex books are what I like to call spylicious romances with a lot of action, adventure, and humor. We all see the glamorous side of spies like James Bond, but what would it be like to actually be married to him? What strains does a job like his put on a marriage? Each of the Agent Ex books features a secret agent and their spouse in a relationship that’s almost terminal and on the brink of divorce.
The back cover copy for Diamonds Are Truly Forever perfectly illustrates what I mean:
SHE CANNOT TELL A LIE
Staci Fields loves her gorgeous husband—and that’s the honest truth. Unfortunately, her inability to lie is a major liability for the wife of a CIA agent. During a previous mission, her loose lips nearly got her husband killed. So now Staci’s filing for divorce to keep him out of danger—no matter how much her lips still crave his kiss…
HE CANNOT HIDE HIS LOVE
Drew Fields knows that his wife doesn’t want to play the spy game anymore. But when he learns that Staci may be a pawn in her stepfather’s secret dealings with terrorists, he has no choice but to step back into her life. This time, the stakes are higher than ever. The closer he gets to Staci, the deadlier the odds. And the more he loves his ex, the more he has to lose…
Q. What fascinates you about spies and spycraft? What inspired you to write books about spies?
I’ve always been fascinated by the double lives spies lead. Think of the nerve it must take to keep up a cover life day after day never knowing whom you can trust and who might betray you.
I actually sort of fell into writing about spies. I read a travel article about a fantasy spy camp and that got me thinking–what would happen if people went to a camp where they were pretending to be spies and actually fell into a real mystery? That was the basis for my first book, Spy Candy. After that, it was a natural progression to write actual spy stories. Because I love romance, I write about spies’ personal lives and their trials in finding love and living happily ever after.
Q In The Spy Who Left Me, Treflee does incredibly well as a spy, despite having no real training. Do you think you’d make a good spy? What are three skills that you currently have that you think would make you a good spy?
I’d probably be a terrible spy. I’m a lot like my heroine Staci in Diamonds Are Truly Forever in that I’m a really bad liar. And acting isn’t my thing, either. Those are huge detriments to a spy. On the other hand, I’m a good eavesdropper, a strategic/logical thinker, and I love people watching.
Q. You studied electrical engineering and used to write software for defense contractors. Does your engineering background and work experience influence / help with your writing? If so, how?
Engineering taught me to think logically and evaluate problems from all angles. Those are terribly useful skills when plotting a novel. I’ve even been known to make flowcharts for some of my novels. I also understand more about how technology works than many people, which is helpful.
Q. Do you have any quirky habits, or are there any rituals or routines that you have to go through before you start writing?
I have a composition notebook for each book I start. I usually jot down my thoughts in it and fill up about 8-10 pages with notes before I start writing. After that, I generally abandon the notebook. So I have all of these composition notebooks around with only a few pages used in each. But I absolutely need a fresh, new one for each book. I can’t make myself use one that already has notes for another book in it.
Q. Who are some authors who have made an impression on you, and who influence your work? What are some of your favorite books?
Of course the Ian Fleming Bond books have influenced me and the way I write about spies. As for my favorite books, I love Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It’s just such a classic relationship book and Austen is so tremendously witty in her writing.
Q. Please tell us three things about yourself that you think will surprise readers.
1. I’m not terribly adventurous. Not nearly as adventurous as my characters, that’s for sure.
2. I have absolutely no spatial ability at all, which is really odd for someone who majored in engineering.
3. I consider myself a serious person.
Q. If you could have one super power, what would it be?
I’d love to be able to fly. Like a lot of people, I have dreams where I’m soaring above the world on my own power. The sense of freedom in those dreams is absolutely thrilling. Who wouldn’t want that?
Just Can’t Get Enough of E.L. James
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It looks like America really just can’t get enough of E.L. James and her Fifty Shades of Grey books. Hundreds of fans flocked to meet James as she kicked off her U.S. book tour in Miami this past Sunday. James has been consistently in the news since the beginning of this year. Very little is known about James, which may be the reason why there’s been so much interest.
James’ story has been something of a fairy tale, almost akin to how her heroine Anastasia Steele is caught up in a whirlwind romance with Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey. James has had unparalleled success. In the past few months, she’s been able to negotiate a seven figure deal with Vintage Books. The books – both in paperback and e-book format – are at the top of the charts. The movie rights to her books were sold to Universal Pictures and Focus Films in a fierce bidding war. James has even been named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people – together with Barack Obama.
It’s not been all rainbows and flowers for James however. Her books about an innocent girl on the cusp of womanhood who’s seduced by a more sexually experienced man and initiated into the world of BDSM have drawn their fair share of critics. Among them are those who feel that she has profited unfairly from the popularity of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, seeing as Fifty Shades of Grey was first written as fan fiction of the young adult series. Others have criticized Grey for the clunky language and inelegant writing in the books. Then of course there are those who say that the books are just smut. More established erotica writers have also become involved in the fray, saying that they’ve been writing similar and better books for year. Still, no one can deny the popularity of James’ books, as can be seen by the astounding sales. The books will also be translated into more than 30 languages.
A former television executive with the BBC, James was born in London, and has lived there ever since. She read history in university, and has two teenage sons. James says that the books were her “mid-life crisis”, and that she put everything that she could ever hope for in a romance and relationship into it. The Londoner says she relates to both Ana and Christian in her books, but mischievously refuses to say why, “for various reasons”, adding that her sons have not read her books, and she would be mortified if they did. James candidly reveals that the Fifty Shades books are her first foray into writing, and that she’s daunted at the thought of writing other books. Despite her overnight success, James is trying to stay as grounded as possible, adding that she’s still doing her own laundry, and is still keeping busy raising her sons.
Romance Author of the Month: Gina Robinson
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Romance Author Gina Robinson
I’m thrilled to have Gina Robinson as our Romance Author for the month of May! Gina writes light-hearted spy romances which critics and readers have been raving about.
I know I was blown away by her Agent X book The Spy Who Left Me (see my earlier review) which had me laughing out loud, while turning the pages as fast as I could to find out what happened to our hero and heroine. I’m delighted to be able to feature Gina on our blog this month as she gears up for the release of her next Agent X book, Diamonds are Truly Forever on May 22.
Gina was born in Baltimore, but grew up in Washington and Idaho. Gina still lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband (and college sweetheart) and her two children, and calls herself a “typical Seattleite”. Gina’s always been a book-lover and voracious reader of romance, mysteries and suspense novels – combine all these, and it’s no wonder she writes spy romances!
Like many successful romance authors, Gina wasn’t always a writer. Although she always loved reading and English, she majored in Electrical Engineering. After college, she worked for a number of defense contractors, before finally giving up the glamor of the engineering profession for a better position as a stay-at-home mom when her children came along. Still, Gina always continued to nurse her passion for reading and books, and finally hit upon the brilliant plan of becoming a novelist after seeing a flyer for a creative writing class at the local library. (Never mind that she didn’t take the course in the end.)
As an author of spy romances, Gina isn’t afraid to do lots of research into spies – from reading Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels to watching the film version of John LeCarre’s Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy. Gina also has some of her own spy gear… most recently, she got herself a pair of rear-view spy sunglasses which allow you to see what’s happening behind you. (Yes, just like the ones she featured in The Spy Who Left Me, and which – I have on good authority – will make a re-appearance in Diamonds are Truly Forever.) In this photo, Gina’s even got some James Bond-ish kitchen gear… not that I’m envisioning Daniel Craig in that tuxedo apron with a smoking oven-mitt gun of course!
We’ll be featuring a new article on Gina every Tuesday this month, so please keep coming back to BestRomanceStories.com. You can also learn more about Gina at her website, on Facebook, Twitter, and at her blog!
Interview with Romance Author of the Month Gerry Bartlett
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Welcome to part three of our series on Gerry Bartlett, our romance author of the month for April.
Gerry’s been kind enough to agree to answer some of our questions, and in an exclusive interview with BestRomanceStories.com, Gerry tells us more about her latest book, Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans, explains why she thinks vampires are so attractive, and shares a story about her real-life encounter with a ghost.
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Q. Hi Gerry and welcome to Best Romance Stories! Your new book, Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans was released on April 3. What would you like to tell our readers about the
Real Vampires series and the latest book in the series?
The series started with Real Vampires Have Curves five years ago. Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans is book 8 in the series. Gloriana St. Clair, the heroine throughout the series, was bloating when she was turned in 1604 and has never been able to lose those extra pounds she was carrying back then. She has a longtime lover, Highland hunk Jeremy Blade, along with a couple of other important guys in her life and several continuing characters fans love to read about. Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans sees the return of a demon who has bothered Glory before. This time Alesa shows up claiming she’s pregnant and that Glory’s best friend is the father. In this book Glory finds out that her past is not what she thought. Readers will be surprised.
Q. What inspired you to write about vampires, particularly as you got your start in the industry with historical romances?
My critique partner is Nina Bangs and she was very successful with her paranormal romances. When the historical market became a tough sell, she dared me to try writing a vampire romance. I didn’t think vamps were sexy, but when I got into it, I found out that they could be fun and hot!
Q. Vampires have been incredibly popular in the past few years, popping up in books (both young adult and adult fiction), movies, and television. Why do you think vampires are seeing such a resurgence in popularity at this time? What is it that’s so attractive about vampires?
I think vampire males are the ultimate bad boy. And what woman doesn’t fantasize about bringing that kind of man to his knees? Seriously, we all like the edgy, forbidden lure of risk associated with the dangerous man. Why? I’m not a psychiatrist but I guess it’s safe to read about it but I sure wouldn’t want to actually meet one of those guys. The idea of immortality is also seductive. Who wouldn’t want to live forever? It’s a fascinating idea and one I love to play with.
Q. In the Real Vampires universe, the world is peppered with vampires (naturally), but also many other paranormal beings. Have you had any supernatural experiences of your own? What were they, and do these experiences eventually make their way into your books?
The only supernatural experience I ever had personally was of the ghostly variety. I was staying at the Kendall Inn in Boerne, Texas and the doorknob rattled in the middle of the night. I looked out the window and there was no one there. Seriously. Couldn’t have been anyone that had run away as a joke or anything. I later learned that there was a ghost that played that “trick” on visitors and that the Inn is famously haunted. I also encountered cold spots in the Inn. I love to write about things that go bump in the night, but don’t like to deal with them one on one. I did put a pair of ghosts in my books who haunt Glory’s vintage clothing shop. I had a lot of fun with them plus they gave me a chance to explore my idea of what Heaven might look like.
Q. I love that Glory St. Clair’s plus-sized, and (by-and-large) happy to be full-figured. Do you think that there’s too much pressure on women to look a certain way, and what do you think can be done to alleviate this?
Of course there’s too much pressure to be skinny! I fight my own battle of the bulge daily. Not very hard though. I love to eat and won’t deny myself the pleasure of a great meal with friends. So I’ll never be a size five again like I was for about five minutes as a teenager. My goal is to be healthy and I hope women will have enough confidence to just strive for a healthy weight and not keep worrying about a number in a pair of jeans. Roller coaster dieting is so bad for us. If the fact that Glory always gets hot guys despite her figure flaws seems unrealistic to some people, I say get over it. There’s a message here: You don’t have to be perfect to find a mate who appreciates you the way you are. Have a great attitude, take care of yourself and love will follow.
Q. Do you have any quirky habits, or are there any rituals or routines that you have to go through before you start writing?
Hmm. Unfortunately I tend to spend way too much time on the Internet before I start writing each day. Facebook can be addictive! But I love to hear from fans and chatting with them. I start each day before I go to the computer with a Diet Dr. Pepper(never did learn to drink coffee) and the newspaper. I read my horoscope and the comics pages first. I need that morning laugh. My dog Jet helps me eat a granola bar and then I can face the computer. It is a ritual and if the newspaper isn’t on my front lawn I can’t function. This happened recently and I realized what a creature of habit I am. I could read the paper on the computer but hate the thought. I spend enough time as it is in front of a machine.
Q. Who are some authors who have made an impression on you, and who influence your work? What are some of your favorite books?
Well, I already mentioned that Nina Bangs is my critique partner. No one is more of a perfectionist than Nina. You wouldn’t believe how carefully she selects each word. She’s taught me how to slow down and pay attention to what I’m doing. I devoured Georgette Heyer back in the day and still love Regency historicals. I had one published and want to do a vampire series set back in Regency England someday. I read Gone With the Wind in junior high and never believed the ending was really unhappy. That made me vow I’d always have a happy ending in my books. I read everything from urban fantasy to young adult these days. I won’t name names but you can check out my reviews on Goodreads to see what I’ve read lately that I liked.
Q. Please tell us three things about yourself that you think will surprise readers.
I really do hang out too much on Facebook so there’s not a lot that will surprise my readers who are my friends there. I guess they might be surprised to know that I was a real introvert in high school. Now you can’t get me to be quiet. Second? I hate peanut butter. Not that you care, but most people do love it. Third and last, I have a purse addiction. Seriously. I have way too many purses yet seem to carry the same one day after day because when I change, I always forget to put something important back inside that I need. My favorite lately is a red leather with black and white zebra insert. Goes with nothing. My best place to shop is a discount store like T.J. Maxx. I’m all about a bargain. And that just about sums up Gerry Bartlett. I love to shop, love to eat and love to visit with friends.
I hope that people with come see me on facebook.com/gerrybartlett on either my author page or friend page or follow me on twitter @gerrybartlett. And you can always catch up with the latest at gerrybartlett.com where I have a blog that I hit about once a month and you can sign up for my newsletter. Thanks so much for having me here at BestRomanceStories.com.
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A big thank you to Gerry for joining us at BestRomanceStories.com! Next week, in the final part of our series on Gerry, we’ll be posting a guest blog written especially by Gerry for us, so please come back next Tuesday for more from Gerry!
Romance Book Author of the Month: Gerry Bartlett
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Romance Book Author of the Month Gerry Bartlett
BestRomanceStories.com is delighted to be able to feature Gerry Bartlett as our Romance Book Author for the month of April. Gerry is the author of the popular Real Vampires series featuring Glory St. Clair, a curvy, full-figured vamp who doesn’t diet. (Good for her! It wouldn’t really work anyway, not with what she has to eat. Plus she was just a bit bloated when she was turned, and there’s no changing once you’re turned!) 
Not only does she not diet, Glory also doesn’t wear skinny jeans apparently, and we can hear all about that in Gerry’s latest Real Vampires book entitled Real Vampires Hate Skinny Jeans, which was released on April 3.
Gerry’s a native Texan. She still lives in Texas – and since Texas is a really large state, more specifically somewhere between Houston and Galveston. Aside from being a multi-published author, Gerry (an entrepreneur just like Glory!) has her own antique business located at Somewhere in Time antiques at the historic Strand in Galveston. The business is back on track after being flooded during Hurricane Ike back in 2008, and Gerry now spends some of her time personally hunting down pieces for the store.
Gerry’s been writing for many years. In fact, she’s been writing from as far back as when writers still used typewriters (albeit electronic). Gerry proudly proclaims on her blog that she started back in the day when there were no computers, and real writers had to tough out typing manuscripts and re-writes on typewriters, with the help of copious amounts of white-out. Luckily for Gerry, computers and the Internet came along. She’s certainly made up for lost time. She has three (count them, three!) computers at her home – and an iPhone. Sounds like Gerry’s a bit of a gadget lover!
You wouldn’t know it from reading her Real Vampires books, but Gerry got her start writing Regency Romances. Gerry’s Regency Romances are no longer in print, but if you’re looking for copies, they were published under the pseudonym Lynn McKay. (Since these were written back when Gerry was still teaching, she may have chosen to use a pseudonym to make sure her students didn’t know about her skill with writing steamy scenes!) These days, Gerry’s able to write and publish books under her own name, something that gave Gerry’s late Mother great pleasure – even if Mom was a bit taken aback by the hot steamy scenes in the Real Vampires books. Gerry has also written a series of articles for InPrint, the monthly publication of the Houston Bay area romance Writers of America Chapter about the publishing life.
Gerry had her own real-life love at first sight fairy tale with her husband John, who she met on a blind date. John and Gerry had more than thirty wonderful years together, with John’s four daughters from his previous marriage, and a son from their union. Sadly, John passed away in 2007. Now, Gerry shares her home with many computers, friends, and her wonder dog, a whippet called Jet. Jet’s the one who keeps Gerry on the straight and narrow, serving as her alarm clock and literary muse. I can just imagine Jet at her feet as she comes up with more exciting adventures for Glory.
Read more about Gerry at her website, and come back to BestRomanceStories.com for more on Gerry every Tuesday this week!
Interview with Romance Author of the Month Elaine Levine
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In part three of our series on Elaine Levine, our Romance Author of the month for March, Elaine stops by and answers some questions for us in an exclusive interview with BestRomanceStories.com. We learn more about her new book, Logan’s Outlaw, why she likes writing western romances, and the best things about living in Colorado!
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Q. Hi Elaine and welcome to Best Romance Stories! Your new book, Logan’s Outlaw was released on March 6. Could you tell us more about the book, as well as your Men of Defiance series?
Logan's Outlaw: Out in Stores Now!
I’m so excited about Logan’s Outlaw! Logan Taggert is a successful and well-respected entrepreneur who runs trading posts in several territories in the unsettled Western American frontier of 1875. He’s on his way to his spring trades with several Lakota bands when he runs into Sarah Hawkins, a young widow recently returned, injured and recovering, from Sioux captivity. There’s something about Sarah that haunts Logan. He knows he won’t be able to get her out of his mind. When he discovers she’s traveling unescorted, he decides to accompany her. Very quickly, they find themselves running a gauntlet of vengeful Sioux warriors and the treacherous associates of Sarah’s deceased husband.
This story let me take an in-depth look at what was really happening at that point in the wars between the western settlers and the native Plains people–an exciting time for some and a heartbreaking time for others.
Defiance is a town that I made up. It sits in the foothills of the Medicine Bow Mountains in present-day Wyoming. I wanted a location that was rough and tumble, a place that would showcase the tremendous strength and courage it took to survive. I’ve loved all of my heroines, but I think the series concentrates more heavily on the heroes. They never fail to be confounded by their women, and they would move heaven and earth to make them happy.
Q. Inspired by locations in Wyoming such as South Pass City, you’ve created the town of Defiance from scratch. Apart from being inspired by certain locations, how do you go about doing research for the period and locations that you set your books in?
I read lots of 19th century travelogs, letters from folks who traveled west, period newspapers, diaries and memoirs. And then I spend a great deal of time thinking about the people and events I read about. What did their lives mean? What was it like to live where they lived, to face the challenges they faced? What did they know that we’ve now forgotten?
Q. Was there any particular reason why you chose to write historical western romances (as opposed to other romance/fiction genres)?
I do love westerns! The American West provides an inhospitable backdrop for characters who are larger than life, who must battle the climate and terrain and their own hidden shadows. The bad guys are really bad, but the good guys aren’t always so good. They walk a thin line between the two extremes, battling themselves so that they can conquer the evils facing them. Fun stuff!
Q. You’d been writing for more than twenty years (all while raising your family and working full-time) before your first book was published. What motivated you to keep writing? Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
I didn’t keep writing. I quit several times for years at a time. I only came back to it once my kids were grown and had moved on to their own lives. Hm-mmm…advice for aspiring writers–yikes! I’m so bad at taking advice, I’m sure I’m the last person who should be giving it! That said, if I had to pick one thing that I could suggest to newer writers it would be to find your voice–that unique world view that is all you. Trust it. Nurture it. Let the monkey out from time to time and see what happens!
Q. Do you have any quirky habits, or are there any rituals or routines that you have to go through before you start writing?
Yes. I’m very possessive of my writing space and writing time. I don’t like people to come into my office when I’m writing. I don’t like to be looked at when I’m writing. I don’t like to hear anything outside my space, so I run a fan and wear earphones. I have to be somewhere alone so that I can shed myself and become my characters.
Q. Who are some authors who have made an impression on you, and who influence your work? What are some of your favorite books?
I grew up reading Jack London and Kenneth Roberts. My dad used to read Edgar Allen Poe to my sisters and me as bedtime stories. Now, I read a lot of paranormals. I love Lara Adrian and J.R. Ward. Carolyn Jewel, too. And I just finished Melissa Mayhue’s latest — Warrior’s Redemption. There are so many phenomenal authors to pick from!
Q. If not yourself, which romance writer would you be?
I admire so many authors who broke various barriers in women’s fiction and helped us evolve. Kathleen Woodiwiss, Brenda Joyce, JR Ward all opened my awareness to new levels of storytelling. I’m grateful to all who came before me and all who are now actively creating fiction, but there’s no one besides me that I would rather be.
Q. The three best things about living in Colorado are?
Only three? That’s easy. 1) The people, 2) The way the air smells so fresh, 3) the yummy tap water that tastes like melted snow. (I could add the hiking trails, the wildlife, the mountains, the prairie, long spring sunsets….)
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A big thank you to Elaine for taking the time to answer our questions! To find out more about Elaine and her writing, visit her website, www.elainelevine.com.
Romance Book Author of the Month: Elaine Levine
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Elaine Levine, Romance Book Author for March
We’re delighted to have Elaine Levine as our Romance Book Author for the month of March! Elaine is the author of the Men of Defiance series, and has been described by none other than New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston as a “wonderfully fresh and original voice in western romance” .
Golden Heart Winner 2007
The first book in Elaine’s Men of Defiance series, Rachel and the Hired Gun, won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award for Best Long Historical in 2007. Pretty impressive stuff, considering it was also Elaine’s first published story. (It was also the first story she’d sold since she started writing more than 20 years earlier, but that’s another story!)
Rachel and the Hired Gun was a great start to the series, and the Men of Defiance are flourishing. The fourth book in the series, Logan’s Outlaw, has just come out in stores today!
Logan's Outlaw, Available on March 6
Elaine’s writing career is an inspiration for aspiring writers to keep on keeping on. Elaine first started writing when she was in college, and her son was just one. Elaine claims that “she never expected to become a writer”, and that she even quit writing thrice… but she always came back to writing. She always wanted a career as a writer, and after her son had moved out, and her daughter had completed high school and joined the Coast Guard, she realized that she had time on her hands, and could definitely make her dream come true.The rest as they say, is history, and a few years later, Elaine’s first book was published, with a deal for more books to come.
Originally from Virginia, Elaine has lived in Northern Colorado for years. She loves the wide open spaces out West, where there are stretches of land that she thinks must look just as they did 150 years ago. No doubt where she lives inspires her writing, although when asked why she chose to write westerns, she said that she thought that a frontier setting would allow for emotional extremes. Life was hard and “an environment like the American West lets us see and experience a passionate thirst for life.” Certainly, Elaine has been very successful in the genre; the Romantic Times says that “the western is alive and well with authors like Levine.” Warm praise indeed!
Elaine and her husband of almost 30 years live in a small Colorado town with their German Shepherd and a parrot. They are the parents of two grown children. Her son Aaron is married, and has gifted Elaine with two grandchildren. Elaine’s daughter Ryan serves in the Coast Guard.
Elaine is a woman of many talents, working full-time as a developer/progammer, and juggling her “day job” with her writing. Elaine was also one of the co-founders of RomCon, a convention for authors and fans of romantic fiction. (Elaine has since relinquished her duties with RomCon to concentrate on her writing.) In whatever free time she has, Elaine enjoys gardening.
