Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Meet Texas Author Ruth Roberts



Photo by Dale Lewis 
Copyrighted 2013 
Used by permission


Photo by Dale Lewis 
Copyrighted 2013 
Used by permission

Spring is gorgeous in Texas.  The country fills itself with multiple color varieties.  The season inspired me to introduce several Texas authors.  Ruth Roberts is my guest today. 


Romance novelist Ruth Roberts lives in Dallas Texas, and many know that area of Texas as the Big D. It’s where city life abounds but the wide open spaces of Texas can be easily reached. Robert’s books transport readers to the glittering life of high-society, but she makes the characters fun and normal—the kind we would all like to have as friends. Her hobbies include reading, writing. She and her teenaged daughter love the comedy-drama series, Gilmore Girls. 
Her very own romantic hero of twenty years is her greatest inspiration and support.

She loves hearing from fans so drop her an email at ruthrobertsromance@yahoo.com



Homerun was the first book I read from Ruth Roberts. When I read the blurb, it became a must read.  I grew up in the Dallas area and love baseball.  Here’s the info.

Cynthiana, beautiful, intelligent, and by all appearances, a spoiled socialite, finds herself as chair of the Inner City Youth League Charity Gala. Her Co-Chair, Roberto Luque, is Major League Baseball’s newest playboy from the Dominican Republic. Far from being in the league of men her parents expect her to choose from, which is just fine with her, since she has sworn off playboys.

Roberto fought his way into the Majors. Now a successful pitcher for the Texas Rangers, he is living the life he always dreamed of--until he faces off with a bad-tempered, blue-eyed, redhead that is not his type. 

When her powerful father threatens to tear them apart, destroying not only their love, but also Roberto’s hard won career, will he be willing to give it all up for love?

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Next came Tender Triumph. It’s a novella—only forty-one pages, but the characters are well developed, and the story captivated my imagination.  I love the excitement of New York City, so this story fit well with my romantic outlooks for that electric location.

  
After a very public divorce from her billionaire Italian husband, Natalia Montalvo returns home to New York City to lick her wounds and try to put the pieces of her shattered heart back together. So why did she agree to attend a charity ball, especially when she knew her ex would be there? When he arrives with his newest love interest, she feels all the pieces she had managed to put together crumbling again. 


Jared, owner of the largest, most prestigious architectural firm in the country, rubs elbows daily with the rich and powerful. He can’t stand them. After one too many altercations with a client, his head of public relations forces him to attend the annual charity ball, to schmooze and make nice with the people whom his business depends on. His mission is simple: smile, be friendly, and bid on a few high dollar items in the auction. On the balcony, he encounters Natalia Montalvo. He can’t ignore a woman in need, especially when that woman is his best friend’s sister. But, can he convince her to give him more than one night?



And now we hear from Ruth Roberts.  She graciously answered my questions.


Texas is a large state.  Does your book take place in east, west, north, or south Texas?

Homerun, my debut novella, takes place in Dallas, so that would be north Texas. While Dallas is a big city I tried to give it a true Texas setting by making Cynthiana's home a large country estate, almost like a ranch complete with horses. So readers get a touch of city as well as country.

   Were you born in Texas?
No, I was not. I am a transplant, I've lived in Texas for ten years.

         Have you lived elsewhere?

I'm from Albuquerque New Mexico. Albuquerque and Dallas are the only two places I've ever lived. Except for a short stint in Colorado when I was eight.

        What is your favorite season in Texas? 

Spring, definitely spring.  The time when everything comes to life and the air smells sweet. We can't forget the bluebonnets that start blooming.

  What would you change about Texas?

 I'd love for Texas to have mountains.  I know there are mountains in El Paso but that is entirely too far for me to enjoy them so if I could I would move the mountains to Dallas.

        Do you enjoy sports or hobbies?

I enjoy many hobbies. Scrapbooking, sewing, jewelry making, even writing started out as a hobby. Sports not so much, although for the last couple years I've joined my family playing fantasy football and baseball. That has made me learn a bit more about each sport and I have to admit it's been fun!

      How did your characters come to mind for your book?

I was watching a TV show called Fairly Legal and I just loved the main characters fun quirkiness, she was my inspiration for Cynthiana. The male character just flowed when I put pen to paper. I decided he would be a baseball player because that is the sport my family is most obsessed with.

How do you plot your books?

I'm a fly by the seat of your pants kind of writer. I come up with a basic storyline and names for my characters and then I write, I do not plan nor do I outline. When I think of a great scene I'd like to write I'll jot it down for future reference.

     How long does it take to write one?

Homerun took me four months to write and about twice that long to edit. I have a novel that will be released soon, and it took me closer to a year to write.

    What is the hardest part of writing?

Editing! I hate editing!

    Do you enjoy research?

Yes. I love to research. The only way to make a book believable is to get the finer details just right. If that's going to happen a writer must research.

    When did you start your writing career?

I started writing as a hobby in 2007. My first book was contracted by Prism Book Group in 2012 and published February 2013. It was an exciting time for me!

   Is there a new genre would you like to try next?

 I've been playing with the idea of writing historical romance. I've even written a few chapters but haven't finished it yet.


Thanks Ruth for visiting with me.  These are very good books.



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