Hi RNTV Readers! Meet Robin Kaye, a wonderful and gifted new author whose new book Romeo, Romeo will make you feel like your smack-dab in the middle of New York and will make you fall in love with its hero, Nick Romeo. Today Robyn talks to us about the feelings she had when she got a look at her first book.
Enjoy
Kati Dancy
When I sold my first manuscript to Sourcebooks, I knew someday I’d have a book I’d written to hold in my hands, but it didn’t seem real. I guess no matter how much I dreamed about it, I wasn’t prepared for the reality.
It happened at RWA’s National Conference in San Francisco, when two friends talked me into going to the literacy signing. I hadn’t planned on going, because it’s dangerous for me to walk into a room with thousands of books. I’m a book-a-holic. I knew I’d want to buy almost every book I saw, and then I’d have to ship them across the country to get them home. So I did my best to behave as I followed my friends up and down the aisles of one of the largest, most amazing book signings ever.
About an hour into the signing, one of my chapter mates found me and told me she’d seen my name and my new book on one of the tables. I knew she must have been mistaken, since Romeo, Romeo wasn’t due out until November. But still, I went to check it out.
There are no words to express what I felt when I saw Romeo, Romeo for the first time. Two stacks of books were beautifully displayed on a table beside a cardboard sign with my 
name on it. I slid a copy off the stack and stared at the most beautiful book I’d ever seen. It was real, the cover was gorgeous, and it had my name written in big bold letters along the bottom. I held, in my shaking hands, an Advanced Readers Copy of Romeo, Romeo.
Virginia Kantra—one of the nicest people I’ve ever met—was signing her books next to me, and when she saw my nametag, she asked where I’d been. I was an hour late for my first signing!
I explained what had happened, and she gave me a knowing smile and laughed. She said she’d felt the same way the first time she’d seen a book of hers.
Signing my ARCs that night was one of the highlights of my life. It was right up there with the first time I held each of my three children. Okay, not quite that good, but close. I sat beside Virginia, grabbed a pen, and signed books for the next hour.
If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never forget the excitement and wonder I felt that day in August. Late that night, when I crawled into bed beside my husband, I slid a copy of Romeo, Romeo under my pillow. Every time I awoke wondering if the book signing was all a beautiful dream, I’d reach under the pillow, find that my book was really there, and spend the next hour too excited to get back to sleep.
I’m an eclectic reader—I read everything I can get my hands on, and have ever since I can remember. I have a list, now over a thousand books long, of the books I’ve read in the last few years, because I’m so bad with titles that I kept buying the same books. This way, I can check my list (when I remember) just to make sure. Mostly I read romance and women’s fiction, but I love reading non-fiction too. Once I find an author I love, I’ll read his or her entire backlist. Until recently, I had a book-a-day habit.
Lately I’ve been reading all the books by my fellow Casablanca Authors—every one of which has been wonderful. Then there are the authors on my “must buy” list… Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Maureen Child, Susan Mallery, Suzanne Brockmann, Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb, Barbara Samuel, Christie Ridgeway, Virginia Kantra, Elizabeth Hoyt, Susan Donovan, Donna Kauffman, Terri Brisbin, L.A. Banks, Rachel Gibson, Roxanne St. Claire… the list goes on and on and on.
My absolute favorite kind of book to read is one that takes me on a mini-vacation, one that makes me a laugh out loud and makes my day brighter. I love reading a story that keeps me on the edge of my seat and has me rooting for the hero and heroine even though in the back of my mind, I know there’s going to be a happy ending. Those are the books I love to read and the kind of books I try to write.
What is your favorite type of book? What type of book makes you happy to spend an afternoon just reading and escaping to a new place?
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kh
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 1:22 am:
a nice hot contempory
cyclops8
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 3:58 am:
Hi Robin,
Congrats on your debut. I love romantic suspense and historicals. I read all types of romances, but those two are my favorites right now.
Marisa
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 7:24 am:
Good morning Robin, I’m so glad you could join us today. What a great story, almost like a surprise party where you’re the guest of honor and you don’t know it. I’ve been to the RWA Signing and it is a joyous celebration of so many terrific authors and readers in one place – the room hums with excitement. To be able to sit in that room and do a signing for your very first book must have been amazing.
My favorite type of book changes like the seasons. Sometimes a particular author will ’sweep me off my feet’ and I have to get their entire back list. I’ve been known to do a marathon – One summer I did a Christine Feehan marathon, then there was the time I did a J.D. Robb ‘In Death’ Marathon. It’s great when I can get a series that I haven’t yet read and there are several books to read all at once.
Other times I’m in the mood for romantic suspense, as a matter of fact that is where I am right now.
I’ve been longing for more straight contemporaries – so I’m so glad Romeo, Romeo is out on the shelves. Sometimes a ‘girl’ can only read so much vampire, ghoul, fairy, demon romance, you know? She’s got to mix it up.
Kati
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 7:55 am:
Hi Robyn – Welcome and congrats on the release of Romeo, Romeo! I’m thrilled you could join us today. I’m with Marisa, it depends what I’m in the mood for. There are two authors who are “go-to” authors for me when I’m in a mood: Nora Roberts and Linda Howard. Both, I think, because they have such extensive backlists. I can almost always find something that they’ve written that works for me.
Robyn, one of the things that is so wonderful about Romeo, Romeo is the flavor of New York that you find in it. Are you a native? Also, both characters come from wonderfully drawn Italian families. Are you from a big Italian family?
Stacy ~
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 10:52 am:
Hey Robin! Congrats on your new release! And wow, how cool to be able to sign copies at RWA. What a thrill for you. And you’ve got several of my favorite authors on your list. You’ve got great taste
I just love to read, though mostly I gravitate towards romance. Right now I’m on a historical kick, but I do love a good contemporary, and have put aside the historicals to indulge in Erin McCarthy’s “Flat-Out Sexy”. No suspense, no paranormal elements, just straight-up romance, and I’m loving it. I love books that have a lot of emotion in the romance. Sure, I enjoy funny, and dark, and suspenseful, but emotion is the underlying commonality between them all. It keeps me reading and coming back for more.
So, what’s up next for you?
Andrea
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 10:53 am:
Hi, Robin! Welcome to RNTV and congrats on your debut release! I just love your RWA book signing story. I wish I could’ve been there to see the look on your face. I bet it was priceless.
I’ve always been a fan of historical romance (mostly Regency and Victorian) and have lately been reading (and loving!) straight contemporary romance. So, it sounds like I need to pick up Romeo, Romeo!
Did you do anything special to celebrate its release day?
PJ
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 12:05 pm:
Hi Robin! Welcome to RNTV! What a wonderful RWA Signing experience. How exciting it must have been for you to sign your book for the first time and to do so while sitting next to Virginia Kantra! How cool is that? You really got me with the “book under the pillow” story though. I’m sitting here wiping away tears.
I read many different types of books and enjoy various types of romance. You’ve named several of my favorite authors in your blog. I love a book that makes me laugh, sigh, shiver and, occasionally, check to make sure I’ve locked the doors and, of course, one that leaves me with a happy ending.
What are you reading now and what do you like to do when you’re not writing or reading?
Fedora
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 1:55 pm:
Hi, Robin!! What a great story about RWA! Yay, you! My favorite kind of book is one that makes me laugh and sigh and shiver and tie it all up with a good HEA. I’m looking forward to reading yours!
Gannon
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 2:01 pm:
Hi, Robin! I love your story. What an absolute thrill it must have been for you to see your name on the cover of your first book and sit there and autograph it for others. I love it!
I read almost anything I can get my hands on. Historical romance is my first love, but I enjoy contemporary and paranormal as well. As long as the book can make me laugh, cry or just get “lost” in the story for a few hours, then it’s a winner in my book (no pun intended).
Donna
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 2:49 pm:
I can’t wait to get my hands on your book I asked my library to get the book and I plan to buy it also…
Donna
pambook
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 3:26 pm:
Hi Robin, congrats on your first book. I mainly go for historicals and paranormals, but also like suspense and some lighter reading in between. I sure could use a guy like your hero, wish I could find one!
Buffie
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 3:42 pm:
Sorry I’m running in late — we had no web access all day at work
It was awful!
Hey Robin!! It is great to have you with us today. I’m very excited about reading Romeo Romeo (especially since I won the book over at Romance Bandits last week
) Love the story!! I’m sure it was just so darn sweet and rewarding to see that final product.
Robin Kaye
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 3:56 pm:
Hi everyone~
Thanks for the warm welcome. It’s great to be here!
Kati~ Guilty as charged. I was born in Brooklyn and lived in and around NY for most of my life and would move back in a heart beat. I’m from a large Italian family. My grandparents were Sicilian and I lived with them or within a mile of them until I was in my mid twenties. They practically raised me. My family is a loud, loving, crazy typical Italian family–very similar to Rosalie’s.
PJ – right now I’m reading Elizabeth Bevarly’s Fast & Loose. I just love her writing. When I’m not reading, writing or running around with my three kids, I love to knit. I even teach knitting sometimes (though not lately – too many deadlines) I also love to weave and spin yarn. I’m a fiber junkie.
I went to my favorite Italian restaurant last night (we’re regulars, of course) and Tina – our favoritel server ran right up to me and said she’d read Romeo, Romeo and stayed up until 4AM to finnish it. Then she accused me of writing about her life–well, except for the Domestic God. I guess mine is not the only crazy Italian family.
I hope you all enjoy the book.
Robin
Robin Kaye
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 4:03 pm:
Oops. Sorry Stacy and Andrea. I forgot to answer your questions, so here goes…
On my release day my husband took me out to Mangia e Bevi (my favorite Italian restaurant) where we had a great meal, a really good bottle of wine and I OD’d on Vitto’s Biscotti cookies, and espresso with sambuca. Hmm…sound familiar?
Stacy~ I’m working on the third book in the Domestic Gods series. The second book will be out in May.
Buffie~ Your book is on it’s way. I’d be surprised if you didn’t get it tomorrow. I hope you enjoy it.
Robin
Buffie
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 4:13 pm:
Woohoo Robin!! I hope it does come tomorrow, then I can read it after the review book I’m reading. Can’t wait!! I’m already looking forward to reading the next one.
Karin
on Nov 14th, 2008
@ 4:23 pm:
Robin, I love your story about the RWA. Congratulations on your new release!
I’m also an eclectic reader. I love everything from the classics to suspense/thrillers, and definitely romance. What I’m enjoying the most at the moment are contemporary and paranormal romances. It’s the characters that really draw me to each story. From the review posted here about your book, your characters sound interesting.