Interview: Robyn Carr

As you guys know I’m a huge fan of Robyn Carr, and if you like romance novels I bet you’re a fan also. She’s a huge part of the genre and to be honest I still can’t believe she’s visiting with us today.

This is a short interview but quite to the point and very insightful. Before I leave you to it I just want to thank Ms. Carr for taking the time to answer the questions and giving us the opportunity to get to know her a little bit better.

Q: What would you tell someone who is coming to Virgin River for the first time? What do you want them to know about the town as they jump into HIDDEN SUMMIT?

Robyn Carr:  Virgin River isn’t an easy place.  It calls on a person’s deepest sense of adventure to live there, which at least partially explains the strong sense of community one finds there.  Sometimes neighbors have to rely on each other to get through the day, sometimes for their very survival.  Not only does Mother Nature challenge this mountain town with snowstorms, floods, earthquakes and mud slides, the landscape is rugged, the wildlife plentiful and fearless, but there are more illegal (and sometimes dangerous) marijuana growers in that area than anywhere else in the US. 

Q: Which character from HIDDEN SUMMIT do you find yourself relating to the most and why? Is there one character, from any of the Virgin River books, that you are particularly drawn to?

Robyn Carr: First, in Hidden Summit, I relate to Leslie – when her husband divorced her, she suffered an enormous confidence problem.  I understand that too well – I can get 100 compliments but that single negative jab haunts me! 

The single character from ALL the Virgin River novels I am most drawn to, feel I know the best and relate to most is Jack Sheridan – he’s a piece of work.  Sometimes he seems like a perfect man, sometimes he’s emotionally clumsy, sometimes wise, sometimes foolish; he’s sometimes so kind and supportive, other times he can be angered and has a bit of a short fuse.  Most of all – he’s terribly funny and his wry humor saves his ass more often than not.  Yes, even though I don’t know him in reality, I really get him. 

Q: When you start a trilogy like Hidden Summit and the forthcoming Redwood Bend and Sunrise Point, do you have the plots of all three books worked out? Or does each novel take on a life of its own as you write?

Robyn Carr: I have an idea of the characters and plots to start with, but these stories tend to evolve and become much more complicated as I write. The characters begin with basic personality traits and back stories, but by the time I’ve finished a book, they’re much deeper, more interesting, more engaging. The beginning is a skeleton, the revision adds flesh to their bodies. The most intricate and entertaining parts of the story come later, on the fourth, fifth or sixth fine tuning re-write.

 You can find out more about Robyn Carr and the Virgin River series on her website. And you can read my review of Hidden Summit here.