5/26/2011

Robin D. Owens

GET LOST WITH THE INCOMPARABLE ROBIN D. OWENS

What's not to love about an author with so much Heart? Robin D. Owens is the author of twelve Heart series Paranormal Futuristic romances from Berkley Sensation. She has five books in the Summoning series and two in the Mystic Circle series from Luna Books, and of course in her free time she writes anthologies, teaches and inspires writers. Please welcome, Robin D. Owens to Get Lost in a Story.

Robin EXCERPTS at: http://www.robindowens.com/reads/reads.htm

Heart Change, 2010 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery Suspense Best of the Best, e.g. the Overall Winner of the Published Contest.

DONNELL: Robin it's an honor... Now let's get to work:). The beach or the mountains?

ROBIN: Ooooh. This is HARD. I live in the mountains but I've been attending a beach retreat for five years. But, actually, I would say The Forest.

DONNELL: Okay, I admit, the above was a trick question because I know how much you love your beach retreat. And you still stumped me. The Forest. Of course ;) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

ROBIN: Also difficult. I think, like "true love" there is a "right" place for everyone. I'm not sure that I've found mine yet and all my family and most of my friends live in Colorado.

DONNELL: Cat or dog person?

ROBIN: I've had both and I use both, as well as foxes, as Familiar Companies in my "Heart" series. Actually, I'm sure the cat with attitude (redundant) sold that book. Zanth is still a favorite with my fans,though I've written. . .um. . .many. . .since then. Cats have allowed me to live in their house for years.

DONNELL: What makes you happy? What turns you off?

ROBIN: Happy. A good writing day. Spending time with my friends and family. Traveling. Sleeping. Reading a good story.

Turn off: Mean people.

DONNELL: What's in your refrigerator right now?

ROBIN: Oops. It's at the end of a long haul of writing and the fridge isn't stocked, but OJ, spinach, mushrooms, turkey breast (that needs to be tossed, why do I always think I will eat it?), two sorts of cheese, eggs, soda that someone brought in December and I don't drink and need to dispose of, left over sesame chicken.

DONNELL: If you had a time machine, would you go back in time or into the future?

ROBIN: This supposes that the future would be good and easy to travel to and back. I have questions about history and the past -- any person who contemplates it does. It would depend how long I would have to stay in the past. I don't think I could live without hot baths and toilets for very long. So I am completely equivocal about this question.

DONNELL: Do you read you reviews?

ROBIN: Ouch. Yes, I make that mistake, usually when I'm down, which is even worse because it's hard to pull yourself out of a spiral into depression. Regarding reviews: Bad reviews will always reinforce your self-doubt. Good reviews are like drugs, you need more, and more glowing, and with increased frequency, all the time. The rock bottom validation that a writer can have is that s/he has written the absolute best book s/he could with the resources s/he had.

DONNELL: If you could interview any person in the world, and it doesn't have to be a writer, who would it be?

ROBIN: I think I will stick with a writer. J.K. Rowling.

DONNELL: What is the number one thing you've achieved as a result of your writing?

ROBIN: Entertaining people. There are awards, etc. But knowing that I entertained people--took them away from their daily struggles, like other writers take me away--is the most important thing in my book. :)

Great answers, Robin. Now we've come to the phase of Get Lost in a Story where a crew member asks, and the author's gotta answer. Here's mine for you.

DONNELL ASKS, ROBIN'S GOTTA ANSWER:
I understand you're in deadline hell. How clean is your house and how much sleep are you getting these days?

ROBIN: Eeek. The house is NOT clean. I've started the dishes, ok? The vacuum is around here under the dust somewhere. I live alone so no one guilts me to clean. Well, I have two cats. One has long hair. Neither of them lift a paw to help. Sleep? I've been getting about six hours. I need seven. Lack of sleep isn't usually a problem with me, it's the darn unpleasant dreams in deadline hell that wear me down.

Thanks for sharing that. Now here's your chance to get even.

Readers, Robin wants you to answer this question: How many of you are buying your favorite authors on ebooks? I'm thinking of writing a few novellas that fit into my worlds and self-publishing them to Amazon, etc. Is this something you'd like to see from your favorite authors?

Readers: Today one lucky person will receive ENCHANTED NO MORE by Robin D. Owens, and don't forget, she's participating in the Brenda Novak Auction for Diabetes Research where she's auctioning off an Advanced Reader Copy of Heart Search as well as a critique!

Join us tomorrow, Friday May 27th, as I host Debut Author Michelle Diener!

13 comments:

  1. Hi Robin,

    I am holding out for an iPad but I recently purchased two novels from Amazon to download onto my iPhone (for reading at the gym!) Many authors I've spoken to recently are self-publishing their short fiction and back list. I think it's great!

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  2. Robin, both. (And thanks for joining us here today). I still love to have a book in my hands, particularly when doing interviews. I have a Kindle, and it's great too. But I haven't gotten the hang of the bookmarks, etc. As for publishing short stories, with your name recognition, I think you'd do awesome.

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  3. Since getting my nook last year, I have been getting my books in the e-books format. I still buy the occasional book in print but I rather e-books because they take up less space (espcially when traveling). I love the idea of short stories. I buy (many are free) them a lot because they are quick fun reads when sitting at the doctor's office, etc.

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  4. Donnell, I was at my parents yesterday helping them to connect to the internet for the first time in years (yep, installation and basic lessons).

    Soooo, you don't have to give away your copy of Heart Change.

    I will be giving away a copy of ENCHANTED NO MORE.

    Also, I have an ARC of Heart Search up at Brenda Novak's auction site as well as a critique.

    Thanks!

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  5. Robin, thank you! Did you finish your revisions? I've been worried about you ;)

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  6. I don't have an e-reader, but I do have the kindle on my computer. I've downloaded a few free books to try it out, but have only read one. I prefer to hold a book in my hands. Someday I may get something portable for reading e-books. I can see the advantage when I travel and have to take 100 pounds of books with me for a one week trip. lol I panic if I don't have an excess of books.

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  7. Great interview. Congratulations Robin on being the overall winner of the published Daphne for 2010, that is quite an achievement. KOD will have a surprise for you very soon! I love my e-reader, but love my print books as well. My DH loves the reader because it cuts down on the clutter. That's a man for ya!

    Melba Moon-President Kiss of Death

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  8. HI ROBIN !! and welcome to GLIAS.
    We met years and years ago... I've followed your career and have many of your books on my keeper shelf. Great to get to know you a bit better.
    Much continued success,

    ~~Angi

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  9. Hi Robin...welcome to GLIAS :) Congrats on the Daphne!

    I recently got an e-reader for Mother's Day, a Kindle, and I love it. My favorite part was loading my own manuscript on it to see what it would look like in book form before I actually get to see it next February :) And having the text-to-speech voice read it to me while I was editing...priceless!

    I have purchased a few books, but haven't gotten the chance to read them. Looking forward to it, though! Not, however, in the bathtub :(

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  10. Hi Robin and Donnell, great interview (as usual). Love that your cats allow you to live in their house. I have a four cats and four kids and I feel grateful for the same!

    My Kindle is constantly in use between me and my daughter. I think self-publishing novellas is a great idea - just remember to rest and not just stay stuck in deadline hell!

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  11. Great answers, Robin!

    I'm like you with not going near the housecleaning when I'm on deadline.

    As for your question, I haven't made up my mind yet which e-reader I want, but I think the novellas are a great idea.

    Barbara

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  12. Woops. I should have checked in earlier -- to be quite honest I read and slept (and got my hair cut and made RWA reservations today).

    As for me, I have an itouch and have kindle, nook, borders & kobe on it.

    Thanks so much for all the info!

    Robin

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  13. I am NOT buying my favorite authors on ebooks. I've tried the Kindle and just couldn't get into reading via electronic media. There's something about curling up and reading a good book. I guess you could say, turning pages is my therapy after a long day at work. :)

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