Lisa Brown Roberts's Blog, page 2
July 8, 2018
Meet Four YA Authors!
Join us for a fun night of book chatting! Meet YA authors Brenda Drake, Pintip Dunn, Darcy Woods and me!
Games, Q&A, and prizes!
Date: Monday, July 16, 2018
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Tattered Cover Aspen Grove Store, 7301 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton Colorado 80120
June 10, 2018
Tattered Cover Teen Book Con – November 2-3, 2018
I’m thrilled to participate in the Tattered Cover Teen Book Con!
Date: Friday, November 2, 2018 – YA Author Happy Hour (adults only)
Location: Tattered Cover, Colfax location
Date: Saturday, November 3, 2018 – Author sessions and panels for teens
Location: Littleton High School
June 3, 2018
Spies, Lies, and Allies Book Release Fun!
May 2018 was a whirlwind of book release fun for Spies, Lies, and Allies! There’s nothing quite like launching a book baby into the world of readers.
I had a fabulous time at my launch party at the Tattered Cover, Aspen Grove store (wearing my Princess Leia hair buns), and was thrilled to sign 180 copies of Spies, Lies, and Allies for the Denver Montessori High School. The books were generously donated by Book Gives, a nonprofit started by the Denver BookBar.
April 18, 2018
Friends and Troublemakers
, and family, and the inspiration for SPIES, LIES and ALLIES.http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2...
July 19, 2017
Athena Award Finalist!
I’m thrilled to announce THE REPLACEMENT CRUSH is a finalist for the 2017 Athena Award in the contemporary YA category. This is the first year of the Athena Award, sponsored by the Young Adult Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, which makes the nomination even more special. The other nominated books are fantastic (I’ve read them all), and two are by my Entangled Publishing “sisters” K.C. Held and Erin Fletcher.
The award will be presented at the annual RWA conference next week in Orlando. Unfortunately I’m unable to attend this year, but that doesn’t diminish my excitement! Thanks to all of the readers, bloggers, and librarians who have championed this book- your support keeps me going!
October 19, 2016
Aspen Gold Award!
I had a lovely surprise at the Heart of Denver RWA mini-conference last Saturday. My YA rom-com PLAYING THE PLAYER won the 2016 Aspen Gold Readers’ Choice Award in the YA category! I was so thrilled to receive this award in the company of friends and fellow authors, and so happy this reader favorite received recognition. Many readers have “discovered” my books by reading this story of Slade and Trina, dueling summer nannies who fall in love, so that makes this award even more special.
I’m so grateful to my publisher Entangled Teen, especially my editor Liz Pelletier, who helped me turn this story into a winner that has touched a lot of hearts!
September 27, 2016
Never Apologize for Loving Romance!
“The categorical dismissal of the most-read genre in the world reveals ignorance, not intellectual superiority.” – Kristan Higgins (bestselling contemporary romance author)
Unlike a lot of romance authors, I didn’t grow up binge-reading romance novels. My mom was an English teacher and encouraged all of my reading- except “those books” weren’t allowed. I’m not sure if this was because of the sexy times or because a lot of teachers and professors labeled them with the condescending “bodice ripper” tag.
However, both of my grandmothers read romances and they let me sneak read them when I visited, so I got secret peeks into this magical genre of books. However, when I went to college I was taught that genre fiction wasn’t “real writing” so I dutifully wrote lots of meandering literary short stories and poems that only made sense to me. This isn’t to say I don’t read and enjoy literary fiction, because I do. But I love genre fiction.
For years I discounted my natural writing voice because I wanted to be a “serious literary writer.” Turns out, I’m a romance writer…which doesn’t mean I don’t take my books very seriously. I explore themes of love and friendship and connecting with that person who loves you for who you are. To me, those are tremendously important themes. And I love being a romance author and no longer worry about where I rank in the literary hierarchy.
Once I started reading romance novels as an adult and discovered what I call The Vast and Wondrous Playground, I was hooked. You can find anything in romance: action, mystery, comedy, suspense, paranormal…you name it. You’ll also find themes of courage, empowerment, honor, love, and equality – feminism with a capital F. I’ve found it’s only people who haven’t read romance novels who sneer and condescend. There’s nothing more satisfying than watching someone convert to the romance religion, especially those who used to disparage it. Suddenly they look around and say, “Wow. These books are great.”
In a culture that too often celebrates violence and war, stories that celebrate emotional connection, love, and friendship are often discounted, yet these are the stories many of us crave because they validate the better parts of ourselves. Plus, you’ll always find this in romance novels…
The best part of writing romance is the wonderful, unique connection between authors and readers. I had the opportunity to experience it first hand when I attended my first RT Booklovers Convention in April, 2016 in Las Vegas. Approximately 600 authors attended, and about 2000 readers and bloggers. It was a fantastic event full of parties, costume events, bookish games, and general squeeing. Plus, photo opps with cover models….
(YA author Jenna Lincoln, cover model Michael Foster, and me)
I love to write (and read) stories about relatable, realistic girls and the great guys who fall for them – guys who are sweet, funny, smart and honorable. Stories with strong female friendships full of honesty and humor, and stories with adults who are (usually) present and caring, but who also make mistakes.
My latest novel, The Replacement Crush, is my love letter to Romancelandia- those who read it, write it, and review it. I’ll never apologize for writing and reading romance, and I hope you don’t either!
September 12, 2016
September 8, 2016
Star Trek’s 50th Anniversary!
In honor of Star Trek’s 50th anniversary, I’m sharing this excerpt from THE REPLACEMENT CRUSH, in which Dallas and Vivian discuss their mutual admiration for the Star Trek universe.
EXCERPT:
“Moving here gives you an opportunity to fulfill your mission.” I gestured vaguely to his shirt and stared at his neck rather than those hypnotic eyes. “Exploring strange new worlds and civilizations and all that jazz.”
Dalls chuckled softly and goose bumps rose on my arms when he spoke. “Original, Next Generation or Voyager? Not Deep Sleep Nine, I hope.”
I faced him full on. This was tricky. He was clearly a Trekkie with strong opinions. I wasn’t Comic Con crazy, but I did like Star Trek, especially the movies with Chris Pine. And the Next Generation series with Patrick Stewart, who also graced a READ poster on our wall.
“I like TNG,” I said, “with the occasional original series sprinkled in for variety. I did a DS9 marathon last summer. Don’t need to repeat it.”
Dallas and I stared at each other in silence and I wondered what he was thinking. My Trekkie creds ran more shallow than deep. I suspected he was more interested in the science and space exploration aspects of the final frontier, unlike me, who was mostly drawn in by the relationship drama.
“Spock or Kirk?” he asked, a glint of humor in his steady green gaze.
My pulse rate sped up, even though his question wasn’t flirtatious. “I have to choose?”
He shrugged. “Most people lean one way or the other.”
His quiet intensity made me anxious. Was he staring at my smeared mascara? Did he really overhear the tongue chats?
“Isn’t that kind of like asking me to choose either peanut butter or jelly?”
He laughed, making me smile for the first time since Jake had ignored me this morning.
July 25, 2016
Resisting the Rebel is Here!
Often, my characters arrive in my mind fully formed, demanding their stories be told. In this case, it was different. I’m a hardcore Sky High fan and have shipped Warren and Layla ever since I saw the movie (and at this point I don’t even know how many times I’ve watched it). That scene in the restaurant when he lights the candle with his finger? Slays me every time.
So when it was time to write another Crush book for Entangled Teen, who should show up in my mind demanding their happy ending but Warren and Layla? Of course I re-watched the movie for inspiration, and certain scenes on YouTube over and over and over…(rough author research).
This book isn’t an exact retelling, of course, because I’d be in big trouble with Disney if so, but I used Warren and Layla as my launching point for creating Caleb and Mandy, and I added a few winks and nods to the movie for my fellow diehard Sky High fans.
If you like bad boys with big hearts, and like to see the girl get the right guy for her happily ever after (not the wrong guy she thinks she wants), I hope you’ll check out RESISTING THE REBEL!
