Author Interview: Robin DeJarnett

I won a copy of Robin DeJarnett's new release Whirlwind, and read it after receiving it in the mail. It's a contemporary romance with an element of suspense. I found the relationship between Jason and Melissa to be charming and magical. I also loved the interaction between Melissa and Jason's brother as their friendship is tested. The emotional elements in the story are wonderful. After finishing Whirlwind, I emailed Robin a few questions, which she so graciously answered for me to share with you.

ABOUT WHIRLWIND
Love at first sight is a myth to aspiring journalist Melissa Williams, but when she meets Jason McAlister at a friend’s wedding, a Cinderella-like fantasy turns her no-nonsense world upside down. She sees in his penetrating blue eyes not just an evening, but a lifetime together that includes much more than a glass slipper and a kiss.

Realizing she shared a few salacious emails with Jason months ago, a humiliated Melissa loses herself in the crowd, thankful he doesn’t know who she is. But he does know—and with a gentle touch and a steamy kiss, he soon picks up their flirtation right where it left off.

As midnight strikes, Melissa succumbs to Jason’s sexy pull, unaware that a woman’s body has been discovered in the wake of the party. When evidence points to Melissa as the killer’s next target, the lines between fantasy and reality blur. She goes into hiding, charmed by one mysterious man and hunted by another.

Cinderella lost a shoe—Melissa could lose both her handsome prince and her life.

INTERVIEW WITH BRENDA & ROBIN

Brenda: Do you think guys like Jason that are tired of superficial beautiful women and want something more are really out there?

ROBIN: I really do think they're out there. Yes, there's plenty of guys who only are interested in women of a certain body type, but there are many others who will take the time to get to know a woman and want someone who can carry on an intelligent conversation, no matter what she looks like. I think guys who are serious about having a long term relationship are looking for (and more satisfied by) a woman with brains. Intelligence is sexy - in both women and men.

BRENDA: I am always intimidated by the idea of writing a mystery/crime plot because I'm afraid it won't come off realistic. You did a great job with Whirlwind. Did you do research before writing? Also, did you have to make changes to the plot as it moved along, or did it pretty much go as you planned?

ROBIN: Thank you! I love reading mysteries and watching crime dramas on TV, so the skeleton of the crime came pretty easily. I did do some research as I went. When I sketch out a scene, I have an idea of what needs to happen. As it unfolds, if there's something I question, I'll dig into Google or contact an expert I know. I have a wonderful group of friends with experience in all kinds of occupations, and they are happy to tell me if what I'm writing makes sense or not. Once the first draft was done, though, a few things did change during editing. The crime remained pretty much intact. The bulk of the revisions involved fine tuning the villain's character and making him more creepy.

BRENDA: Be honest, did you know someone that was like "Tricia"? I swear there is always one person in each wedding party like her, so I had to laugh at her character.

ROBIN: I'm sure I've encountered several Tricia's, but no one that was of exactly this Tricia's particular...ilk. There was one particularly mean girl back in seventh grade who might qualify - I haven't thought about her in years! Tricia is a combination of a lot of undesirable traits I've seen in people. And I'll admit it's fun to write someone like her. She does have some pretty good lines!
BRENDA: What part of the story was the most difficult to write?

ROBIN: Probably the "morning after" - rather the "midnight after" - scene. Both Melissa and Jason share some intense feelings in that scene, and understanding Jason's reaction took a couple tries. That chapter was rewritten several times before it was right.

BRENDA: Are you working on your next story, or has promotion been keeping you too busy?

ROBIN: Recently, promotion has been claiming a lot of my attention, but I am working on book 2, tentatively titled Quicksand. I have an awesome critique partner who's also working on her own book, and every week we get together on Skype and hold each other accountable for getting our writing done. The "I got my chapter done, did you?" challenge works pretty well - I'm a little competitive. But knowing she's waiting for the next chapter is also great incentive. Being able to bounce ideas off someone who knows my characters as well as I do is a blessing I don't take for granted.

I just completed the editing on a short story, Concessions, that will be part of Omnific Publishing's Summer Lovin' Anthology: Heat Wave, coming July 5th. It's a very special project because all the proceeds from this book and it's sweeter romance twin, the Summer Lovin' Anthology: Summer Breeze will be donated to the cancer-fighting organization Save the Ta-tas. Concessions is my first paranormal romance, so it's a little different. But it involves a very sexy vampire named Devon, and a snarky girl named Lindsey. Vampires in Vegas? Who knew?

MORE ABOUT ROBIN
To learn more about Whirlwind, and Robin's new story in the anthology Heat Wave visit her website at http://robindejarnett.com

This is a fun interview with Jason, the romantic interest and hunk in Whirlwind:
http://ataleofmanyreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/meet-jason-hunky-hero-in-whirlwind-by.html

~Brenda