A Lot of Flirting with Selena Robins!
Today I have the pleasure of interviewing a fantabulous author (who is made of complete awesomeness), a fun-loving and straight laced gal (the latter part only applies to those who don’t know better), and most importantly… a dear friend of mine. So help me welcome Selena Robins and make her feel at home.
Moira: Selena, pull up a chair. Let’s break the ice shall we? If you were stuck in the middle of a zombie apocalypse and you had three people to help you fight of the zombie horde, who would they be?
Selena: My husband. He’s a wilderness pro and master of getting rid of spiders, I don’t
know, but I’m sure those skills would come in handy. My son, he’s read all the Walking
Dead books and watched the shows, so he could outsmart the Zombies. I can’t think of
a third, but if they can shoot silver bullets and bring chocolate, then they’re welcome to
hang out with me.
Moira: Hmm, let me see. *Rummages through closet* Silver bullets – check. *Heads
to pantry* Chocolate – check. Apparently I’m your girl! Okay now that we know how
you intend to survive the apocalypse, tell us a little more about you for my readers that
haven’t yet had the privileged to curl up in bed with you – I meant your books!
Selena: Here are some extra tidbits about me that are not listed on my bio on website
or blog.
I didn’t learn to speak English until I was six years old, sometimes this can still
effect me, as I think in one language and things come out in English in an awkward
way. “English wasn’t my first language,” is what I say. That’s my story and I’m sticking
to it. I learned to play the accordion at an early age. Hey, I’m Italian, it’s a right of
passage and no I didn’t play Lady of Spain. I wasn’t that good at it. However, I did enjoy
practicing at home and driving my older siblings crazy with my attempts at Twinkle
Twinkle Little Star—serves them right, they had me convinced for years that I was left
on the doorstep, plus I was a teeny bit gullible and was an easy target for their pranks.
I hate coffee. I mean really hate it. I want to ban all coffee beans from the earth, better
yet, give them to the Zombies, maybe they’ll leave us alone once they get a whiff of that
stuff. I know what you’re thinking, how could an F.B.I. (full blooded Italian) hate coffee?
Answer: “I’m special.”
I also took Highland Dance classes. Yup, an Italian speaking-accordion playing, freckled
short little girl, highland dancing. Eclectic at its finest.
I used to be quite the daredevil. Broken knee, wore a full leg cast (downhill skiing),
shattered my radial head in my left arm (roller-blading), broken toe (fell down the stairs
while multi-tasking, some will say, I can be a klutz, I don’t agree…well, not 100%).
My husband has recently stated that he’d love to start a blog called, “Things my wife
says and does.” I’m not concerned, he doesn’t even like to write emails. Funny guy. He
makes me laugh, I make him laugh. I love to cook, he loves to eat what I cook. I also
like to make him blush, like when I publicly state, he has given me my happy-ever-after
that I love to write and read about in romance novels.
Moira: You do remember that I bleed coffee and Guinness if you cut me right? The
coffee remark nearly had me bringing this interview to a close. Then you redeemed
yourself when you brought up Highland dancing.
Selena: I wasn’t worried, you love me, you really love me. Come on over to the tea
side, I promise you’ll love it and while you sip your tea, I’ll do the sword dance for you.
Moira: So we are back on task. If I were to buy you a book for your birthday or just
because I am such total awesomeness, what genre would I need to scour?
Selena: I’m as diverse in my reading as I am in writing, so really anything goes, except
horror, math books or self-help books. I love the romance genre and the sub-genres,
I also love a good mystery, or thriller. Sorry, can’t pick one, so I guess you’ll really be
awesome when you bring me a basket full of books.
Moira: Well, I’ve already established the fact that I’m awesome and forgiving (see
coffee remark), but I think I would need to challenge you and look for something new for
that eclectic reader’s palate of yours.
Selena: If you really want to top the charts at awesomeness, then you’d hurry up and
write more books. Don’t forget, you broke me into my first fae story, and I loved it. Give
me more of those. Thank you in advance.
Moira: Well if you insist. I do aim to please after all. If you are writing, what is your genre preference? Is there a specific appeal to it? Like does it come with a heavy dose of chocolate and sex or is it the innocence of the genre that tempts you?
Selena: My first novel is sex-free, lots of sexual tension but the bedroom door was
shut tight. However, I have the rights back to that story and I’m revising it, I’m thinking
of opening the door a fraction. Same with my short story, lots of fun banter, not really
romance, but on the brink of a relationship. My current release, bedroom door is wide
open, lots of steamy scenes and talk about chocolate. In one of my works in progress, a
suspense/thriller, the heroine actually doesn’t like chocolate, the hero loves it, and yes
there will be some steam between those two. I like to mix it up as you can see.
Moira: But the constant seems to be chocolate. I’m on to you Selena. I will be watching
(and guarding my chocolate to ration out during the apocalypse). And I’m not buying
your innocent ‘closed door’ act any more either. I’ve seen behind the curtain.
Selena: Actually, there’s no chocolate in Decoy in Stiletto’s, but there is Guiness and
a lot of vodka. I get extra cool-chick points for that, right? And just a minute there, Ms Coffee Bean Addict, you are part of my trio during this Zombie invasion, so you have to take care of me, which means feeding me chocolate. It’s in my future non-fiction book, “Selena’s Zombie-Survival-Handbook.” By the way, I am innocent, I have no idea what curtain you are talking about. Someone must have high-jacked my computer the night the Nine Naughty Novelists had their 20 Questions chat.
Moira: Right, that’s the story we’re going with – computer hijacking. Totally believable. And yes cool points for the Guinness. The vodka, not so much where this girl is concerned. Anyway, name one scene you go back and re-read often because you like it so much.
Selena: Once a book is published I don’t go back and re-read it, because of my anal
tendencies, I’ll think…Oh, I could have done this better, or I should have done this or
that. It’s a curse to have this internal editor hanging out with me 24/7, she’s such a
bitch sometimes. In my works in progress, there are two scenes which I get a kick out
of when I go back to edit and polish (yes, I do that a lot, as I said, my internal editor is
a hard ass bitch). One is my Decoy In Stiletto’s novel, when the heroine finds out the
Russian Mob is out to kill her and her reaction to it, while the hero stands around and
just let’s her get her crazy on until she settles down. My heroine’s get scared, they’re
not to proud to say, “I need help, protect me!” The other scene which I love, is in my
suspense thriller and it takes place in a lingerie shop between the hero and heroine.
The last place the hero wants to be in is this shop. Lots of sexual tension, some black
comedy and the banter between them, I really enjoy reading.
Moira: What? He doesn’t want to be in a lingerie shop with the heroine? Surely there
are visions of what he’d like to do to her flitting through his head right? Put that tension
to work, get some chocolate, and get it done!
Selena: Oh, no, this hero does NOT want to be in the lingerie shop. He’s an alpha-
undercover cop, tailing a mob bosses’ daughter, who he likes to call the Mafia Princess
and she is driving him nuts and vice versa. She’s not innocent, he’s not innocent, and
the last place they both want to be in is in a confided space with ultra sexy lingerie.
Trust me on this, it works better for them not to get all jiggy in this scene. The push/pull
and internal turmoil I put them both through is way more fun to watch.
Moira: Okay, well you know them best, so I will trust your judgment (See, I told you I can be a good friend). What is the oddest place you found inspiration for a story?
Selena: I don’t know where my inspiration comes from in the first place. I know this is
not a good answer for an author, but it’s the truth. Things pop in and out of my head at
all times, at different places, especially when I least expect it.
Moira: Like yoga class when you are supposed to be centering yourself, not watching
squirrels out the window. I’m just saying. (You can slap me later if you wish, but you
make it too easy sometimes)
Selena: I’d never smack you, because I tattle on myself all the time. Yoga does bring
out some inspiration, but usually for a blog that makes no sense.
Moira: It made total sense and was extremely entertaining! Worst and best pick up lines you either used or were used on you?
Selena: It’s been so long since one has been used on me. I remember when I was
single, and it was during Halloween and a bunch of gals decided to go out to a trendy
bar. Everyone was dressed in costume, except me. I’m not big on Halloween and it was
a last minute decision, so I just wore more makeup than I would normally wear, and
figured that was good enough.
A guy came up to me and asked, “Why I aren’t you wearing a costume?”
I said, “I am.”
He looked at me and said, “What are you supposed to be?”
I said, “I’m really a guy.”
He put his arm around me and said, “Well, hello there, I’m gay.”
It was cute and funny and we ended up chatting most of the night, about bad pick up
lines and became friends.
If I did encounter pick up lines from jerkwads, I’d usually tell them I was overjoyed that
they chose to talk to me, asked them when they’d like to meet my family, told them to
keep all Sundays open for family brunches. Saturday afternoon we could go register for
our china patterns…they usually walked away after that.
Moira: Okay, the I’m a guy remark hilarious. The last bit…wow. I imagine that a guy
deciding to put himself out there can be just as difficult as it is for a girl choosing to pick
up on a guy. Remind me to never try and pick you up.
Selena: Notice I only said jerkwads, so the good guys don’t need any kind of line. My
husband had zero game and I was smitten pretty quickly.
Moira: Ah, true love. Green with envy over here. Any deep, dark, and/or dirty secrets you’d like to share? Trust me, my readers can keep a secret.
Selena: I once thought an athletic support was something a guy used for lifting weights
and put around his friggin chest. So I walked into a sporting goods store and asked for
a 42 inch athletic support, then got pissed off because the clerk and a few guys in the
store were making cracks and laughing at me. I was young, not my fault!
Moira: Um….*snickering* hmmm…I’m speechless. And my mother said she never
thought the day would come. (As she is sitting here having breakfast with me, she says
she seconds and thirds that) Let’s move on shall we? Why do you write?
Selena: It’s cheaper than therapy.
Moira: Right? We exorcise our demons by writing about them. Or we give voice to the
other ten thousand personalities we possess by giving them voice on the page. Therapy
shmerapy. So tell me, are the experiences in your current release WHAT A GIRL
WANTS based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Selena: The only similarity between the lead characters and my life is that their close
friendship led to love. Okay, I will admit to being a bit mischievous, but not nearly as
much as the heroine
Moira: A bit? I feel compelled to call bullshit on that remark…bless your heart. Why is
injecting humor so important in the stories you write?
Selena: Laughter, especially self-deprecating humor is something I appreciate in books
I read and they are also part of real life. Eliciting emotion from a reader means that a
writer has nailed it. If a reader tells me they laughed hard at something I wrote or even
cried, then I feel that I’ve done my job.
Moira: You can say that again. And you do it well my dear. You do it well. Please round
out our interview by sharing a little about your stories!
Selena: Thank you for inviting me on your blog. It’s been a blast and I hope your
readers realize how difficult it was for me to come out of my shell and be so open like
this.
Moira: I’m sure they will get that impression. Now lets get to the books!
lovers’ themed romance, filled with witty repartee, lots of sexual innuendos, unexpected
twists, a splash of mystery, comedic moments and red-hot-sex scenes. The heroine
(Maddie) is known as “the woman with the black belt in mischief.” Alex (the hero) has
accepted Maddie’s pranks over the years and enjoys their friendship, even though
he compares her to Lucille Ball on Red Bull at times. Deep down, I think he really
likes it…well, most times. Ultimately, What a Girl Wants is about friendship, love,
commitment, family and forgiveness.
Excerpt: Readers can read an excerpt of What A Girl Wants on my website: selenarobins.com/Character_Interview.html (along with a picture of who I picture Alex, the hero to look like)
What A Girl Wants is available in both Paperback and e-Book at: Amazon, Kobo,
Barnes and Noble, Samhain Publishing and most e-book distributors.
Tempted by An Angel, a FREE Short Story, a comedy with romantic undertones is
available in all formats. Kobo, Barnes & Noble, I-Tunes, Sony, Smashwords and many
other e-book distributors.
Blurb: Matthew Lockwood hired entertainment for his nephew’s birthday party, instead an Angel showed up, wearing killer heels, carrying a bouquet of balloons and a body that was heavenly—except she had an attitude that was anything but angelic.
Unfortunately for Angel Montgomery, life doesn’t have auto-correct.
Matthew and Angel are both victims of unsynchronized mishaps.
Links:
Website: https://SelenaRobins.com/
Blog: http://SelenaRobinsMusings.com/
Follow Selena on Twitter: @SelenaRobins
Thanks for stopping by and visiting with Selena and I! We always love when others join our Mad Hatter Guinness, coffee, tea party!
