Eden Robins is the author of the time travel romance Never Until Tomorrow and the soon to be published sequel All Our Tomorrows.

Yesterday's Promise a ghostly romance has just hit the shelves and so it is an ideal time to welcome Eden to the Magical Romance Website to answer a few questions. 

 
LB Firstly could you tell us a little about yourself as an introduction to the visitors to the Magical Romance Website?

ER I started writing when I was in high school, first in my own journals, then for the school newspaper. I always enjoyed literature and language classes, but never pictured myself writing a book. I graduated college with a business degree and opened up a business with my husband. It did quite well, but I kept getting the feeling that I wasn’t really doing what I was meant to do.

A family death made me take another look at my life. One night I sat down in front of my computer at home and started writing a story. I had no idea what I was writing. The words just kept coming, so I kept typing. Several years and three children later, catching time to write when I could, I finished my first time travel romance, Never Until Tomorrow.

Since then, I haven’t looked back. I enjoy creating new and different worlds. I love developing complex characters that get themselves entangled in sticky situations, only to come out of them finding a love that transcends time and space.  Having the privilege to do this as a career brings joy to my life.

LB  Your latest book to hit the shelves is Yesterday's Promise.  Could you tell us what the book is about?

ER  Yesterday’s Promise is a romantic ghost story, but it’s also the tale of a woman’s inner journey out of the darkness and into the light. Independent and courageous schoolteacher, Christine Hart, takes a much-needed vacation to Old St. Augustine, Florida, where she meets sexy and stubborn ghost, Alejandro Martinez Garcia.  She agrees to help him find a deed that will save his descendant’s Inn, and his soul. Alejandro recognizes Christine as the woman he loved and was betrayed by over two hundred years ago, but she has no recollection of their past lives. As they work together to unravel the mystery of the missing deed, neither counts on an evil force determined to stop them, nor the promise they made to each other so long ago.

You can read an excerpt of the story at my website www.edenwrites.com, and it’s available to order through the publisher at www.wings-press.com.

LB  All Our Tomorrows is the sequel to Never Until Tomorrow.  Do you envisage any other books in that series?  And when can we expect to see All Our Tomorrows in the stores?

ER All Our Tomorrows is the second book in my three-book Tomorrow series. The Rov Hum dance performed by Arin and Talia in Never Until Tomorrow will be featured in this book, as well as the Tanveiran people who created this intense and primitive courtship ceremony. Please check out the Work In Progress section of my website to read excerpts from interviews with the hero and heroine of this story, environmental researcher, Dr. Helen Matthews, and warrior prince from the future, Jo Sha Ta Rem. All Our Tomorrows will be published through New Concepts Publishing, and should be available towards the end of this year.

Readers have expressed a pointed interest in sexy security specialist, Tristan Zax, from Never Until Tomorrow. So I have to mention that you’ll learn more about him in All Our Tomorrows. However, Tristan’s story will only be told in my third Tomorrow book, tentatively entitled Whatever Tomorrow Brings, coming soon!

LB How much more difficult/easy is it for you to portray a future time and/or people from that time, as opposed to a time and people that are in the past and merely brought to life?

ER  I’d have to say that there’s a mix in both cases. In Yesterday’s Promise, I had to research 1800’s St. Augustine pretty thoroughly to make sure I accurately portrayed the significant locations and events, which directly impacted my hero and heroine. I also had to watch my language use during the flashbacks, so as not to use modern slang terms, etc. On the other hand, I really enjoyed learning about the fascinating history of the area, so it didn’t seem like hard work!

With Never Until Tomorrow and All Our Tomorrows, I got to experience the fun of creating worlds of my own imagination. On the other hand, I had to work hard to portray original technology and futuristic ideas. I didn’t want to copy other stories, but I will admit (blushing red with embarrassment), that the old animated futuristic kids TV series, The Jetsons, kept popping into my head! I had to concentrate on not letting it influence me too much!

LB What do you like to do in your spare time when you are not writing?

ER  Spare what? I have three children. Two under ten. They keep me on my toes and fairly busy. However, when I do squeeze in some free time, I like to cook with my husband, garden, read and go antique shopping. I also crochet a little. I stress ‘a little’, because I’ve been working on the same blanket for about seven years! I hope to have it finished by the time my grandchildren are born!

LB Can you tell us about the Monthly Garden part of your website?

ER  The Monthly Garden section of my website is a collection of essays I’ve been writing over the last year or so. As I mentioned earlier, I used to write in a journal when I was younger. I guess this has become an extension of that. Sometimes I write about experiences as a writer, and other times just about life in general. Some of the essays have been published in writing industry newsletters and magazines, and others have been written and posted directly to my site.  The March/April issue of Affaire de Coeur magazine will feature my November essay, Fear. Please check it out!

If you’re interested in receiving my Monthly Garden e-newsletter please send your request, name and e-mail address to edenmichelle2001@yahoo.com. The newsletter arrives once a month and includes a short note from me, details of upcoming events and appearances, as well as my Monthly Garden essay.

LB  You have a Writing Tools section on your site with articles for writers.  How did this get set up and will you be contributing any articles to it yourself?

ER  I set up the Writing Tools section of my website mainly because I want the site to appeal to both readers and writers. This section is designed to help writers through various stages of their career. I’m currently looking for authors, agents, publishers, or other industry professionals willing to donate some advice and information to writers who want to learn more. As far as me contributing articles to the Writing Tools section, that may happen in time. If I do submit an article, I’d like to it to be as complete and comprehensive as possible. When I feel capable of doing that, I’ll definitely consider it.

I’ve already had some great guests contribute valuable information and insight into writing techniques, publishing and promotion, and hope to have more to offer throughout the year. Please contact me through my e-mail, if you’d like to contribute some advice, information, or experiences you think would benefit writers.

I’d like my site to be a place where people can go to learn something new, and refer back to often.  A site that entertains, enriches and educates. I’m still working towards that goal and appreciate input from the visitors who stop by. Please sign my Guest Book the next time you visit, and let me know what you think!

LB Do you have any quick tips for aspiring writers out there?

ER  Yes. I have the following tips:

1)      Never give up, never give up, and did I mention never give up? This is a very competitive business, but I feel persistence counts for a lot.

2)     Join a writers’ group if you haven’t already. These groups not only encourage you to write, they also help you develop contacts in the industry.

3)     Go to writers’ conferences, if you can. You can learn so much through the workshops, and you have the opportunity to meet published authors, literary agents, and publishers.

4)     Take online writers’ workshops. There are some great ones out there to learn from, and most of them are quite inexpensive. If you want to know more about these workshops, send an e-mail to me, and I’ll give you the information I have available.

5)     Lastly, and most important, KEEP WRITING!

LB  You do quite a few book-signings.  What do you enjoy most about them?  Any unusual anecdotes from any?

ER  The best thing about book-signings is talking to people! That’s one thing I learned after my very first signing. I enjoy seeing a friendly face at these events. It’s so nice when readers come up and chat, even when they don’t buy a book! I think a lot of authors feel this way about book-signings.

Unusual anecdotes…hmm…let’s see. Well, there was the time I was doing my first signing at a café. By the way, I really enjoy doing signings at places other than bookstores. People aren’t sure what you’re doing there, so they often come up, just to ask who you are. That’s a great conversation starter!

So, I was at this quaint little café, and I had just gotten done placing my bookmarks on all the tables when a very proper and serious looking woman walked in, ordered coffee and a snack and sat down. I noticed her studying my bookmark, but she wouldn’t look my way. Other people came and went, but this lady stayed, sipping her coffee and nibbling at her snack. In between signings, I would catch her sneaking peeks at me, then quickly glancing away.

Finally, I decided to walk around and talk to some of customers in the cafe. I chatted briefly with a few of them about my book, then headed to where this lady sat. She had a very sombre expression on her face, and I almost decided not to bother her, but then at the last minute changed my mind. I’m not sure why, but I did. I walked up to her and introduced myself. As I did so, a big, bright, warm smile broke across her face.

She told me she was so glad that I stopped at her table. She said she was a librarian, and was dying to come by and say hi, but just couldn’t do it. To this day, I’m not sure why, because at that point my first book had just been published, and few people had even heard of me. I told her a little about my book, and she immediately told me she’d like to purchase it. I signed it for her and then we had a nice talk about the library system and upcoming local events to help aspiring authors.

I’m so glad I decided to stop at that wonderful lady’s table, and will always remember meeting her at that book-signing!

LB  Do you have a message for all your readers out there?

ER  Yes. THANK YOU! Your letters, e-mails, and words of encouragement mean a lot to me. They’ve helped me get through the ups and downs of my writing journey. Please keep it coming. I enjoy hearing from you!

I would like to thank Eden for taking the time and trouble to answer these questions and hope that we will all be hearing much more from her over the next few years.

Don’t forget to look for upcoming “Sweet and Spicy Out-of-this-World Romances” by Eden Robins. Again, her website is: www.edenwrites.com  and e-mail: edenmichelle2001@yahoo.com.

Links to  Online Stores

Books by Eden Robins: Never Until Tomorrow, Yesterday's Promise and All Our Tomorrows.