Join Romance Giveaways for all Giveaway Information

Spotlight on Robyn Rychards, Escape To Paradise #Giveaway

This week's Spotlight on Author is on Robyn Rychards and her latest release Escape To Paradise. There's a Kindle Copy Giveaway of Escape To Paradise to one commenter! 

Robyn Rychards grew up in the granola bowl of the United States, Boulder Colorado, a town filled with fruits, flakes and nuts. She considers herself a Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none and has taught herself to sew, paint, play the piano, garden, cook, the list goes on. But now that her books are published, she’s thrilled to finally be considered a master of one. At least as much as a person can be, for the learning never really stops.
She feels her active imagination is a blessing and a curse, with the blessing far outweighing the curse since it has led her to fulfil her dream of writing for Harlequin. Robyn started writing stories when she was a teenager because she didn’t have enough books to read. Sometimes she finds it hard to believe that people are willing to pay her to do something she enjoys so much, but mostly she’s happy to have such a wonderful excuse not to cook and clean. And a job that means you can stay in your jammies as long as you want? Priceless. 


Twitter: @RobynRychards     Website            Facebook


What inspires you to write?

Lots of things can spark ideas for me or make me feel like writing a story. Sometimes it’s just people watching at an airport, the park or the mall. It can also come from a song on the radio, a television show or a movie. I’ve even been inspired after reading a book, though the story I come up with is nothing like the book that inspired it, as well as waking up from a dream and deciding I need to make a story out of it.

Tell us about your writing process.

I didn’t realize there was such a thing until after I was published and became part of a writing community. The only thing I need to be able to write is to be away from my kids. Before I had children, I could focus on anything and tune out the world. Nothing could distract me if I didn’t want to be distracted. I think being the oldest of four children and tuning my siblings out all the time to read or do homework trained me for that. But after my first child was born, I quickly learned tuning out the world wasn’t a good thing. And I couldn’t bring myself to tune my kids out for writing. So I would get interrupted all the time, lose my train of thought and struggle to get back in the writing zone. Therefore, I quit writing until the last of my four kids was in school. The result is that I’m published several times over. Though I still can’t write when the kids are home, after school or during school breaks. I either have to get them or myself out of the house to accomplish anything. Other than that, everything just happens for me. 


Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?

When I first heard an author talk about this, it freaked me out. It had connotations of the supernatural and supernatural stuff scares me big time. Since then, I’ve come to appreciate what this is, and it’s not quite so frightening for me. However, it still isn’t something I do. I think I may be too much of a realistic person to ever get in the zone where my characters become real people in charge of MY story. Or maybe I’m a bit of a control freak… 

What advice would you give other writers?

Don’t give up, don’t let the rejection letters get you down for too long, but also be willing to take suggestions and have a realistic view of your writing. Always be willing to learn. But remember, the publishing business is subjective and what one person in charge of it likes, another one may not. Keep your options open.

What is your favourite genre to read? Is it different to what you write?

I love to read romance first and foremost and love to write it. I think I’ve read more Harlequin Romances and Presents than any other kind of book. However, as long as there’s an HEA romance in the story, I also thoroughly enjoy historicals, suspense and intrigue. That doesn’t mean I haven’t read other genres and enjoyed them, but with a busy life, when I do have time to read, I want it to be something I know I will enjoy.

Tell us about your book...


Andree Bancroft lives a sheltered life on St. Barthelemy and there’s no place she’d rather be.  When a famous singing artist shows up at the villa her father manages, she has no clue who he is.  It’s the compelling man that attracts her.

Maximillian Chanteur is desperate.  His fiancĂ©e dumped him, his muse has vanished and he’s sick of living in a fishbowl.  Escape to an island villa is exactly what he needs.  Andree Bancroft is not! 

Their time on the island and in the whirlwind life of a celebrity in the States, teaches them what’s really important.  Being together.

Buy Links:



And the prequel to Escape To Paradise...The Professor's Secret is still free everywhere you can buy ebooks from. 

34 comments:

  1. It's great that you can do what you love... and that you wrote at such a young age... I can't write around too much confusion either, I have to find a quiet place ... Have a great week xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Launna! Nice to know I'm not the only one who needs peace and quiet to write at home. You have a great week too!

      Delete
  2. Writing romance with the kids in the house/room is always awkward! :)
    The book sounds fun - good luck with it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jemi! I think you're right about that! Awkward!

      Delete
  3. Hi Robyn

    Congrats on the release I am really looking forward to reading this one now to find the time to sit and enjoy. I have 4 children as well and I am the eldest of 4 and I now have 7 grandchildren 2 of whom live with me so life is busy :-) :-)

    Have fan
    Helen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Helen! I am also the eldest of four. Don't have seven grandchildren yet though!

      Delete
  4. "Granola bowl"--lol! That's too funny! Best of luck to you Robyn, this looks like a great read!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I heard that term about Boulder when I was young and loved it since. It describes it perfectly!

      Delete
  5. I'm on the other end of the spectrum. If my characters don't take control I feel like the story isn't working.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting, Kelly. I think we each have our own system that works for us.

      Delete
  6. Wonderful interview, ladies. Congratulations, Robyn. I enjoyed reading about your novel and also how you work. I talk to my characters a lot. Sometimes they talk back. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Beverly. I know a lot of writer friends who do the same thing. Whatever works right?

      Delete
  7. Talking to your characters freaks me out, too. I've never done it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's an interesting idea, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around it. Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  8. I've talked to my characters from time to time.

    Congratulations on the release, Robyn!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks William! I find it fascinating how writers have so many different ways to get their stories down.

      Delete
  9. Congratulations, Robyn! I can see why kids would be a distraction when you are trying to write. I don't have kids, but my cat enjoys being an adorable distraction. LOL!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Cherie! I would love to have a cat again, and having had them before, I can really appreciate how they could make writing a challenge at times! Much like children!

      Delete
  10. Sending good wishes for your new book. I'm inspired by a lot of different things, too.

    Hi, Nas!

    ReplyDelete
  11. This was a neat interview! I can get easily distracted when writing, too, and I don't even have kids. Congrats on your latest release!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Shelley! Glad you enjoyed the interview. Nice to know I'm not the only one who gets distracted!

      Delete
  12. I love the "granola bowl of the U.S." comment. (But I thought it would've referred to someplace in California!)

    Good luck with your latest book. Sounds like you're living the dream. (I just ordered the prequel. Thanks!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Susan! Hope you enjoy Professor's Secret. Thanks for getting it! I'm sure the 'granola bowl' has been used in California and I think it's been applied to Boulder because it's so much like California there. It's been called Boulder, California on many occasions and there was even a poster done with a picture of the city of Boulder on the ocean and titled, 'Boulder California'.

      Delete
  13. Gosh, I love these romances. Not only are they expertly written, they surround me entirely and I can't put them down. Like you said, Robyn, it's tough to zone out the children when you're writing. I have five. When I can, I run to the library and write uninterrupted. I love your personal intro growing up in a town full of "fruits, flakes and nuts." I wish you all the luck in your writerly endeavors. Thank you, Nas, for sharing Robyn's interview and new book with your readers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by Victoria! I'm impressed. Five! Library is a great place to go write where it's nice and quiet. Best thing I ever did was buy a laptop! Thanks for the well-wishes!

      Delete
  14. Characters do become very real to authors.

    Great cover.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They really do Medeia! By the time I'm done with a story they are like friends I hate to say goodbye to!

      Delete
  15. "granola bowl" - LOL! I love it. I'd never heard that before. Congrats, Robyn!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Liz! I wish I had come up with that expression! It perfectly describes the people that inhabit my home town and since I was a teenager I've enjoyed watching them!

      Delete
  16. Having kids around must make for a hard time writing. Kids never want to leave you alone. lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly Mary. Even when you say you're working.

      Delete
  17. I can imagine writing with kids around would be tricky. I don't have kids, but I often need to put on noise cancelling headphones to tune out my pets and my fiance so I can write. :) Wishing Robyn the best of luck!
    ~Jess

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jess! Clever idea, noise-cancelling headphones! I may have to look into that.

      Delete

Share your wisdom!