Welcome, Barbara Robinson!

What a great, trend-setting week! Today I am so happy to visit with author Barbara Robinson! Welcome, Barbara!

What prompted you to write your most recent book?

My most recent published book is SOUTHERN SUPERSTITIONS. Mother’s mixture of raising me on Bible verses and Southern superstitions prompted me to write it, but my most recent novel is WHISPERING CYPRESS, which will release in August. I wanted to write something different and didn’t write about strawberries this time. LAST RESORT and SOUTHERN SUPERSTITIONS both have strawberries. All novels are set in the South. The main reason I wanted to write my most recently published book was to illustrate that faith and trust in God are more important than being addicted to horoscopes. God’s on His throne, and He’s in control. I also wanted to write about the South where I grew up. Spring and strawberry season are my favorite time of the year. In Louisiana, spring is strawberry season and vice versa. I spent many glorious spring days in a packing shed with the sun smiling down, the sweet smell of berries tempting me to eat instead of pack, and my youngest son in a baby swing or walker. I wanted readers to experience the hard work of strawberry farmers and enjoy a novel with the delicious fruit.

2. Tell us please about the hero, the heroine and the conflict J

 Andy and June have more than one conflict. First, Andy has to convince June to consider him more than a friend and a big-brother type. Then, there’s Mrs. Myrtle with her wagging finger always telling June she can do better for herself than a common strawberry inspector. To top it all off, Mrs. Myrtle is stuck on Southern superstitions and worries about black cats when they cross her path. She also has a few other superstitions you may not have heard before. Can Andy win her over and convince her he’ll be the son she never had? Will June be able to give Andy a child? The main conflict comes when Andy does a disappearing act while deer hunting during Christmas season. Yes, Andy and June have many obstacles to overcome, if their love is to bloom and survive.

3. Favorite line from the book?   Favorite sentences: It was faith in God that would bring her husband home. Even a lucky penny or dime declared, “In God we trust.”

4.  Congratulations! You have many books to your credit. What are your current plans?

I plan to try my hand at a YA novel which will release in October. It will be my first in that genre.  It’s a story of old love and new. Hope falls for the boy next door, while Granny rekindles a relationship with a man her family didn’t approve of years ago.

4.  Give us a version of a typical day for you.

 I’m up early each morning, work or not, morning person that I am. A normal day off affords me writing time, and I brew a pot of French vanilla Dunkin Donut coffee and start my writing day, which I call French vanilla coffee and writing time. I savor the coffee as much as my blessed writing time. They go so well together. I’ll work at my computer until the sun rises and then enjoy sitting out on my new back deck hubby recently built. I can’t wait until spring break to do just that. I enjoy writing in a spiral notebook while outdoors, as I enjoy watching my two dogs frolic, squirrels play, listen to birds sing, and enjoy the beauty of flowers blooming and trees turning green. I write page after page while savoring my time outside until the sun climbs high and it gets too hot. Then, I go inside and key my writing into the computer, adding to it, layering, correcting, and editing as I go. After I finish my spiral-bound writing, I keyboard directly at the computer. If it’s too cold outside or too hot, I keyboard directly at the computer, but I still love the feel of the pen in my hand and watching those notebook pages fill. I write the morning away, have some lunch and check Facebook while I eat, then I write again. I usually call it quits by early evening, but I’ll have added a great deal of material to my novel with my uninterrupted writing time. I treasure such days. I don’t feel like I’m working because I love writing.

 

5.  Please give us a glimpse of your current writing space and then a vision of your dream space.

 

My current writing space indoors consists of an L-shaped oak desk with a Dell desktop with a 20 inch monitor. Three windows overlook my backyard. I keep the blinds open so I can enjoy nature even while indoors. My current outside writing space consists of a table with an umbrella on the wooden back deck overlooking the backyard. My dream writing space would include a gorgeous lake with azaleas and other blooming flowers. I have the azaleas, but not the lake. A woman can dream, can’t she? Henry David Thoreau had his cabin in the woods, and I once dreamt of having one, too, with that lake.

 

6.  Other than writing, what are some fun things you love to do?

I love to travel, visit zoos, and theme parks. I live in vacation land near all the theme parks. I’ve ridden all the roller coasters except the newest one. I’ve parasailed and zip lined. I love the water. Oh, and I really adore Tennesseeand a mountain-top cabin, especially in the fall of the year when all the leaves are turning. I used to bowl on a league. And, I can’t forget Key West, a mini HawaiiI wrote about in Last Resort and Southern Superstitions. I love visiting with my family, but I only get to see them during the summer. I love my quiet, peaceful morning time with God when I don’t have to work. Remember, I don’t consider writing work, though it is hard work. I love it too much. I’m an avid reader, so if I’m not working on my own WIP, I’m reading someone else’s good book. I also have a blog at http://barbarajrobinson.blogspot.com where I review books.

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