Welcome author Selena Robins!

Laura: Hi, Selena. Welcome to my blog. 

Selena: Hi, Laura. thank you for introducing my work to your blog and readers.

My current release is What a Girl Wants.  It’s contemporary romance  for readers who enjoy a tropical setting (Hawaii) a lot of spice, comedy, sexual innuendo, witty repartee, unexpected twists, sensual lovemaking scenes, and a splash of mystery in their books.

The heroine’s (Maddie) business is mischief . . . the hero’s (Alex) business is singe-the-eyebrows off a manequin sex appeal and keeping secrets– together their businesses are booming–together they’re trouble-together they never expected their lives would spiral out of control and on a different path than what they’d ever imagined.

Laura:  What was your inspiration for What a Girl Wants?

Selena: The friends-to-lovers storyline has always been a favorite of mine. Do I  think that all female/male friendships end in true love? No, however, I do believe that a strong friendship which has an underlying sexual attraction that both people ignore for whatever reason can be the foundation for a rich, long lasting love affair (marriage). Even with all the screwups and internal conflicts they have to encounter along their emotional roller coaster ride, I love the idea that even with all the baggage, personal demons, careers that test their loyalty to not only their friendship but their love, they have to work hard at recognizing that love, and maintaining the fun, chemistry, sexual tension and excitement that brought them together in the first place- a unique bonding friendship.

(P.S. I married my best friend, but really, I’m nothing like the heroine as I’m much more reserved and shy).

Laura: There are lots of “shoulds” and “have to’s” in this business. What one piece of advice would you advise an unpublished author not to follow?

Selena: I highly recommend writers don’t follow the Write what you know advice. I’ve read this advice in a lot places, and in my opinion it’s one that cannot possibly be followed and can stunt a writer’s learning curve and growth.

Has anyone actually met a vampire, angel or fairy? (Okay, I’m sure there is some society out there that claims they have, but I’m talking about the norm.) The same goes for heroes we love to read and write about such as police, firemen and Navy Seals. We love to write about them but most of us haven’t been in these professions. The same goes for villains we love to hate: mobsters, high powered, cranky talk shows hosts, crooked judges, etc. If we should only write what we know, then we couldn’t create characters with the aforementioned professions or even delve into writing about fantasy and horror.

I would tell aspiring writers to fire up their imaginations with the emotions they have experienced in life: first crushes, heartbreak, love, even hate, losses, gains, thrill of that first job., the kick in the gut when you’ve been fired or betrayed. Emotion is what develops great characters and we’ve all experienced a myriad of emotions in our lives.  Tap into your own emotions, whether they be happiness, fear, phobias, love, heartbreak . . .  whatever the emotion, use it to develop your characters and advance your story.

Laura: Character development is crucial to a good book. What do you think readers would most enjoy about your characters in What a Girl Wants?   

I agree characters are the most important element in a novel. From the feedback I ‘ve received, readers enjoy the the heroine’s quirkiness and outrageous antics, but at the same time they appreciate her intelligence, passion and loyalty.

They loved her interaction not only with the hero but with her girlfriend , her mother, and the people she meets on her journey. I’ve received a lot of feedback about the hero’s drool-worthiness, but even more than his good looks, they loved the way he respected the heroine, himself and the people around him. These people are not perfect-they have many flaws- and that what I believe draws the reader in as it allows them to relate and dare dream that maybe they can take life by the reins and go after what they want.

Laura: Who has been the person or persons who have supported you? How important is the support of others in the writing process?

Selena: My husband is my biggest fan and cheerleader. I’ve also been blessed with supportive family, friends (both online and in real life), other writers who are also good friends, and most of all the readers who not only embrace the romance genre, but are enthusiastic, supp0rtive and eager to let a writer know how much they enjoy her  work. I’m grateful for all of them.

Support is crucial when pursuing a writing career or any art form for that matter. Creative people are highly sensitive and emotional and brave. We put our work out there and when the rejection or bad review comes in, we need to have a support system to listen to our rants, and of course supply the red wine and chocolate.

Laura:  Many writers say they are inspired by their dreams or the characters chattering away in their head. What insprires you to write the stories you create?

Selena: Throughout my life,  even during the difficult times, I’ve alway used my sense  of humor to get me through the highs and lows, and I think that humor comes out in my writing. As for inspiration, I wish I could say something deeply profound that people will Twitter and use as a quote but I really don’t know. I love books, I love the written word, and I love people watching and storytelling. I guess those are all inspirations.

Laura: Do you have a method by which you write — surround yourself by music, dim lighting, snuggle on the couch, a time of day?

Selena:  l’m a morning person so I do my best writing in the morning. Again, I wish I could conjure up a great vision of soft music and lighting while burrowed away in a log cabin, surrounded by deer grazing in a beautiful forest. That’s not the case. I do, however, like to light a fire in the winter. In the summer I sit outside to write.

Laura:  Are there any other genres you have written?

Selena: Outside of the romance genre, I’ve written childrens’ books under the pen name Maddie Rayan.  I thank my reader group for coming up with that title. They’re not only supportive, but if I ask them to help me out with a name, they are right there with wonderful suggestions. The book is called Pippy’s Wish and it’s now available on Amazon.

It’s about an Angel- in-Training who is quirky, mischievous, loveable and enchanting. She can’t wait to graduate and earn her wings and become a cool teen angel. Although she sometimes makes mistakes, her ingenuity and humor usually get her out of trouble.  Except  this time when it’s gotten her into trouble. Big. trouble. Pippy’s Wish is a fun, inspirational read for all ages that also includes some of Pippy’s favorite receipes.

Laura: What projects are you working on now?

Selena: I’m in the process of editing my second romance which is called Decoy In Stilettos and is targeted to be released sometime in February (fingers crossed). Readers can get a glimpse  of the first chapter on my wesbite https://selenarobins.com/Coming_Soon.html

I also have a cookbook that will be released in February. It was created along with seven other authors and is filled with an eclectic array of delicious recipes. I’m also working on a romantic suspense/thriller, yet unnamed, I hope to have finished this year.

Thank you for hosting me on your blog, Laura.  It’s been a real pleasure and I wish you much success in your publishing journey.

Laura:  And thank you for coming, Selena.  It’s been fun having you.

Where you can find Selena Robins:

Selena’s website: http://SelenaRobins.com/

Selena’s blog: http://SelenaRobinsMusings.com

Twitter: @SelenaRobins

Maddie Ryan’s Page on Facebook: https://facebook.com/MaddieRyanChildrensAuthor

Maddie Ryan’s Blog: http://MaddieRyansCorner.blogspot.ca/