Hello Robin, and welcome! Tell us a little about yourself and what inspired
you to become a writer?
I'm single and living in Denver with cats. My day job is as a contract paralegal
and I hope with a few more sales I will be able to quit and become a full
time writer (the cats bring in NO cash flow). I've been seriously writing
longer than I care to remember, and have been telling myself stories all of
my life.
Q: Could you give us a brief description of Heart Thief?
The story of Ruis Elder ?? a man without psi powers on a world where they
are prized. An outcast, Ruis must overcome all society to survive, pursue
his passion for restoring ancient Earth technology, and win his love ?? Judge
Ailim D'SilverFir.
Q: Your novels are filled with some wonderful secondary characters. I would
like to focus on the familiar, or 'fam' as you refer to them. How exactly
did the relationship between the humans and 'fam' evolve?
The colonist's three Ships were both multi-generational AND animated suspension
– so some people (and pets) developed and honed their psi powers during
the long voyage as well as since landfall on Celta. There are "regular"
pets and there are also Fams who have psi powers. As the pets spent time and
bonded with their people and their people, too, developed stronger psi, it
made the pets' psi stronger and brains more intelligent. Not to mention that
psychic people would prefer psychic pets and thus natural selection would
favor strong psi in animals.
Q: Ruis Elder, is known as a 'null', is that an actual undocumented physic
gift or just total lack thereof?
LOL. It is his gift that he suppresses everyone else's Flair and spell-technology.
It may be a psychic gift, or it may be his physical aura/energy. My Dad was
one of those people who make watch batteries go wonky, and I have a friend
who has incredible trouble with electronics – palm computers and laptops
mostly, but diskettes have been known to corrupt....
Q: Now, Ailim's occupation is that of a judge. On the world of Celta, what
exactly would her duties be? Did she have to have special schooling or pass
some sort of test?
I believe (I haven't asked her, but will do so in an interview, so check
back on the "Worlds" page of my website in a month or two) that
when her Flair for telempathy developed she was Tested and given several career
choices. At the proper age she would have apprenticed and been a journeyman
(person?) with a Family that produced attorneys/solicitors, lawyers, judges.
Then she would have studied with a Judge. She would then have tested for Master's
Laurels in Judgeship and having passed would have started at the bottom of
the ladder as a village judge, then worked up to the travelling circuit judgeship
that she had just before Heart Thief starts. Her position as SupremeJudge
of Druida was based on the type and strength of her Flair and her previous
record. Her duties would be to arbitrate and settle disputes. By the way,
another of her cases is posted on my website in September – one of the
"lost scenes" of Heart Thief.
Q: Nuada's Sword, the abandoned earth ship, plays a very significant role in
this book. One gets the impression that the ship will change life for everyone
on Celta. Without giving away any 'secrets'......?
I don't have a lot of secrets about the Ship. It will continue to be seen
in the Heart books as necessary. I also have a prequel/novella that takes
place on Nuada's Sword. I think of the Ship as an alternative source of information,
energy, technology, Earth plant and animal life that can enrich Celta. At
some point a heroine or hero who is interested in exploring space may come
along....
Q: Robin, thank you so much for the inside view of, Heart Thief! Could you
tell us about your work in progress, Heart Duel. What will the story be about
and when is the expected release date?
Heart Duel is the story of Holm Holly, the premier fighter of Celta, and
the Healer Lark (Hawthorn) Collinson. Fighters and Healers usually have a
built in conflict, but adding to this is the Holly-Hawthorn feud which is
heating up. Lark is the widow of a commoner who was killed trying to intervene
in a noble duel.. Holm wasn't expected to have a HeartMate, but events in
Heart Thief have made him "grow" enough to meet her. ;)
Originally slated for May, the release date has been moved to April 2004.
Heart Duel is finished and I'm expecting a cover any day now. That's always
exciting! My editor asked for swords, so I searched the internet and provided
the art department with a lot of inspiration. ;)
I'm working on another Heart book that will feature Straif Blackthorn and
Mitchella Clover, as well as my first fantasy (with romantic subplot) about
an average American woman who is Summoned to an alternate universe to save
the land from invading evil. Joan of Arc meets Han Solo.... The land is called
"Lladrana" and was researched when I went to England last year.
A pic is going up on my website in the September update.
Q: Any final words or thoughts for your readers?
These were excellent questions. Ailim and I need to talk...
I want to remind folks that I do have a "Worlds" page on my website
(formerly "Celta") where they can find character interviews, pictures
of the Residences, and "lost scenes" from Heart Thief which I had
to cut by a third.
For the creative bent of EVERYONE, I have a "Free Your Artist"
page with Motivational Quote, Creativity Exercise, and Affirmation, as well
as fun links that span from castles to ecards to a monthly online "divination"
site.
Oh, and I have a monthly contest, too. For September it is a copy of The
Celtic Tree Oracle, a set of book and cards. I have my own copy which is one
of my primary research tools for Celta and the Heart books.
Thanks so much for an EXCELLENT interview!
