Robyn is here with us today to answer reader questions!
Here are a few to get us started:
Q: Does Rick end up with Liz?
Rick’s story is ongoing and I really can’t give anything away without spoiling the outcome, which will come in the 6th book in the series. Suffice it to say, he is presently a little busy in the USMC — but he will be back and his love life will be settled.
Q: What are your plans for Paul and Vanessa?
Paul loves Vanessa — that much is clear in Whispering Rock. In the next book in the continuing series — he’s going to have to learn a few lessons about the cost of not stepping up to the plate as he faces losing her a second time. It’s a rocky ride for Paul; he’s not the only man interested in Vanessa. Not only that, there’s a new woman in Paul’s life who isn’t going to sit by quietly and wait for him to come out of his shell — so the chase is on, and there are too many contestants in this race.
Q: When is the Grace Valley trilogy going to be reprinted? Can the readers do anything to speed that along (i.e. write letters, etc.)?
The Grace Valley series is going to be available again, with new cover art, in Oct. 08. Nothing will hurry this — the publisher is up to their eyeballs in Grace Valley and Virgin River books and it has everyone from the art dept. to the marketing team is working very very hard — and fast. One thing that always helps — haunting the booksellers. Just asking for these books a lot results in booksellers asking sales reps who ask the publisher. I only mention this because it is already happening, and that’s getting things done.
Q: Did you have any idea how wildly successful Virgin River would end up being?
I believed in the stories — from the beginning I knew I had something that worked. But believing in something isn’t enough to make it happen. I had to work very hard to get the word out, just so they’d be read and then, God willing, talked about. To that end I bought ads, gave away about 1,000 copies of Virgin River to get the ball rolling, and other promotional activities including lots of travel. Still — when the response came and it was huge, I was stunned. I don’t know that it’s a feeling you ever get used to.
Q: What are your future plans for Virgin River?
I thought I was done with Virgin River after 4 books, but then more ideas started to rise to the top and I just kept writing. Since it’s a whole town and there’s nothing preventing newcomers from arriving on the scene, who knows how long it can go on? Right now I have plans for a total of 8 books, but I can see the potential for even more.
Q: Do you have any books planned outside of Virgin River?
Yes, absolutely. In fact I have 2 women’s fiction finished — more along the lines of The House On Olive Street, something we once called “girlfriend books.” As soon as we get the editing done on all these VR novels, my editor will want to take a look at those. I love doing both types of women’s fiction — those that are mostly romance and those that are more about women in relationships with other women as well as their relationships with men. In both types I’m able to give lots of space to women’s issues.
Q: What is your typical writing day like? 
I get up early — 6 a.m. or so — and go straight to the computer. I have other responsibilities of course — I have a house and family and dog, plus I do a lot of community service for my local library and I have to keep my hair cut and colored 😉 But mainly I write and don’t leave my computer till about 7 pm. And I do that everyday that I’m home, 7 days a week. In fact, I so enjoy the writing, I’m not very happy about it when I have to be away from it. But then, Virgin River is such a pleasant place to be — who wouldn’t?
Q: What kind of advice can you give an aspiring author?
Read read read, write write write — that’s the best training. And very importantly — learn to take and appreciate criticism. It’s part of the process. No matter how big you get, no matter how good, you’re going to be asked for revisions and if you learn to LISTEN and weigh the advice given to see if it will make a better book, you’ll be way ahead of the game.
Q: How do you feel your writing has changed – if at all – since you wrote your first novel?
Well, my first 10 were historical romances, though I’ve been chasing this contemporary voice since the first. The second book I wrote was contemporary romance and took ten years to sell, but it was more fun for me to write than the historicals. And — I’m getting LOTS faster.
Q: Do you have a clear picture in your mind as you write of your characters? I.e. do you picture a certain celebrity, real life person, etc?
I haven’t been able to picture celebrities — in fact after the books are finished I sometimes go in search of celebrities that fit for me. But yes, I can see the characters clearly in my mind.
Q: What’s your favorite food?
I don’t have a sweet tooth — I love carbs, not the best thing to love. Pastas, breads, pizza, sandwiches, that sort of thing. Heavy, fattening, carbs!
Q: If you were stranded on a desert isle, what’s the one thing you wouldn’t be able to survive without?
If I had a computer and could access the Internet, I might not even realize I was on a desert Isle.
Q: What did you want to be when you were a little girl?
A cowgirl.
Q: What’s your biggest weakness (shoes, books, clothes, dessert)?
Well, books. More than I need, more than I can read, more than I can store or afford. But I am now beginning to learn to give them away — it just borders on ridiculous.
Q: If you could choose to be anything in the world – with the exception of a writer – what would you want to do? Why?
I would be a singer. One teensy little problem, I can’t carry a note in a bucket. I’m horrible — probably tone deaf. but when I’m alone in my car, I sing my butt off! No one’s there to say, “Ewwww….”
Robyn will be dropping in out and throughout the day, so if you have any questions for her, ask away!
I have a question, Robyn…now that I’ve read your response about Paul and Vanessa I’m wondering, is their book going to be a love triangle? Or a love square? LOL
I have a question, too.
I know you said you won’t tell us who Rick ends up with, but will you tell us if Liz will also be a recurring character?
As for the rest…
I’m another one who can’t sing worth a darn, but that doesn’t stop me from doing it…in the car, while cleaning house, etc. etc. My fiance often says, “Who sings that song?” When I tell him he says, “Well, then, you should let them sing it.” Jerk. LOL
I’m addicted to carbs, too. Not big on sweets, but chips and pasta…they get me every time.
Thanks so much for being here with us this week and answering our questions. It’s been great fun. 🙂
Oh how funny — I love that. LOVE SQUARE! Yeah, I guess if you count them, you end up with four, which is too many! LOL
Attention everyone — Holly is trying to trick me. See, Holly thinks that by deduction she’s going to figure it out! Hah! Yes, you will see Liz again — and you still don’t know what you don’t know! LOL
Figured me out, did you? LOL
Did you see that, everyone? I tried.
Let me ask YOU a question — because I’ve gotten mail about this. Do you WANT to see Rick with Liz? Or do you imagine they grew beyond that relationship and move on?
I love carbs too ~ which is why I don’t eat them 🙂 What a vicious circle.
I also love to sing ~ love music of any kind. I guess it’s God’s little joke that I can’t carry a tune. Ah well.
I don’t want to see Rick w/ Liz. I think they both reacted to the situation they found themselves in. I imagine that they both grew beyond the relationship.
OMGosh, I can’t sing either. My husband HATES when I sing the National Anthem. Of course that means I have to sing it everytime I hear it on t.v. LOL
Robyn,
So glad you agreed to guest blog for the ladies!
I love the Virgin River series and have been trying hard to find the Grace Valley series, our local library has the second and third in the series but not the first and I CAN’T….CAN’T read stuff out of order. It drives me nuts.
I guess I wouldn’t buy Ricky and Liz ending up together. It would seem a little to neat and tidy for me….actually ending up with your first love. FIRST, not necessarily TRUE. But I might be persuaded 🙂
Looking forward to reading more about Virgin River!
I honestly don’t know if I want Rick and Liz together.
Part of me thinks they outgrew each other, but I have to wonder if they wouldn’t be a good couple. Getting them past their hurts could be tough, but the end result might be good. I like my characters kind of angsty, and what better angst is there than what Rick and Liz went through? I’m not sure if they can move on from it, but I think seeing them live HEA w/ a family of their own would be more precious than a lot of couples…especially since we saw how they started. The backstory is already there.
I guess it would be believeable if they reunited after 10 years or something along those lines. I just can’t imagine him getting out of the USMC after 4 years, returning to Virgin River, and living happily ever after w/ Liz.
I think that even reuniting them after 10 years, it’d be a bit too neat… the past would still be a big shadow overcasting them. I’d rather them being good friends, but not a couple.
My question is are we going to see Tom and brenda again or that’s it for them?
Kind of sounds like the bottom line here is convincing. Whatever happens, it has to be completely believable. Yes, Tom and Brenda are back in the next book.
No question. Just a plug.. if you want to see more of Robyn.. she has a great yahoogroup which Robyn pops in and “plays” when she isn’t writing.
I have no questions right now.. but want to gush. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Robyn in person but have had numerous “conversations” via email. She is wonderful and insightful.
I’m so happy that she is spending time here so that others can meet her.
Are you blushing, Robyn? 🙂
See you back online later.
Ann M.
I’m tremendously honored to have such nice people speak well of me. Thank you, Ann. And thanks to everyone for sharing this space with me.
xoxoxox
Had to laugh at the cowgirl. That’s what I wanted to be, too. Congratulations to you on all your success! Both of your series sound like excellent “escape away” stories.
So, we don’t know if Rick ends up with Liz, huh? You’re a terrible tease Robyn, because I was hoping for some goodies but *sigh* I guess I’ll just have to wait and see who he ends up with…how about an older woman from Torrance named, oh I don’t know, ROWENA, how about that?
LOL!
To be honest, I don’t know, I guess I wouldn’t mind Rick ending up with Liz no matter how neat and tidy it is because, I don’t know, it could be a cute story…I mean, if you do it the way Casee suggested with them reuniting after so many years, it could totally work..(did anyone else sing, reunited and it feels so good? I did. haha.)
As for my question, have you started Rick’s story yet? And if you have, can you edit the heroines name to be…seriously, Rowena. LOL.
Just kidding…only a little bit.
HA!
And though I’m not the worlds best singer, I can hold a tune in my bucket and I sing everywhere, as a matter of fact, I’m singing right now, I’m dancing in my seat too, I’m just cool like that. 😉
Great interview!