Lauri Robinson is a prolific author of historical romance from westerns such as Unwrapping the Rancher’s Secret to A Gilded Age Christmas to The Heiress and the Baby Boom, and many more eras in between. With over sixty books to her name, she graciously took the time to answer my questions about her writing journey, research and what is coming next from her pen.
1. When did you begin writing?
It all started when my husband said that I should write a book because I read so many, and I thought, fine, I will. It took five years, but then my first book was published by the Wild Rose Press in 2007, and I continued to have eighteen more books published by them. My dream was to write for Harlequin, and I got my first contract from them in 2010. Since then, I’ve written over sixty books in their historical line.
2. What romances inspired you?
Too many to count. Both of my grandmothers and my mother were avid readers. From a young age, I was one of those kids who read with a flashlight under the covers long after ‘lights out’. Years later, my go to became romance novels, and though I read many genres, that remains my favorite, and I’m still reading late into the night.
3. What drew you to the historical romance genre?
I was given a copy of The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss and that’s all it took. I devoured every book written by her, and that embedded historical novels as my favorites, to read, and the genre I wanted to write.
4. Do you have any favorite tropes to write? Or ones you hope to try?
I can’t say that I have a favorite trope, they each have unique challenges and successes. When I’m brainstorming a new story, it’s the characters who come to me first, the positions they find themselves in, and it’s often not until I start writing that I fully understand why they are in those positions and what they need to move forward.
Romance novels are centered on the inner conflicts of the characters, and the trope of the story is often the outer conflicts that create obstacles the characters must face. I’ve written enemies to loves, friends to lovers, second chance, forced proximity, fake relationships, mail ordered brides, Cinderella stories, surprise babies, secret babies, etc. etc., and have found all of them enjoyable.
5. How did your contract with Harlequin romance begin? Are certain guidelines and formulas they want you to write?
I had submitted a story to Harlequin for their Harlequin Historical Undone line, and after several months of not hearing back from them, I submitted that story to The Wild Rose Press, where it was accepted and about to be released when I got the call from Harlequin. I was crushed to tell them that I’d sold that story to another publisher and then thrilled when they asked me to write another story. They offered me a contract for that one within weeks of it being submitted, and it blossomed into contracts novel length books from there.
Harlequin stories are centered on the internal conflicts of the characters, mainly what is holding the hero and heroine back from having their happily ever after. Whatever happens in the outside world comes second place to how the characters struggle within themselves.
6. What is a typical day of research like for your novels?
That depends on the novel. Sometimes it’s a lot of online research about the location, weather, unique or unusual things that happened in the area or time period, animals, clothing, etc. etc. I also love museums and traveling to locations. I’ve written several westerns and have visited museums throughout the midwestern states.
Upon visiting Pearl Harbor, I knew I had to write a WW2 book, and picked up several books for research, and also took advantage of interviewing people who had been stationed in Hawaii over the years.
When my son had completed a genealogy on our family and told me that my 8 times great grandmother had been arrested for being a witch (but had been released) I knew I had to write a story about the Salem Witch trials.
While watching the sunrise over the Caribbean Sea, I knew I had to write a story about a shipwreck, and while writing books set during the roaring twenties, I attended a bootlegger’s ball and visited historical speakeasies. I love the research for a book as much as I love writing the book.
7. A prevailing theme in your novels is classism, and disapproving relatives, what draws you to this conflict through different eras?
Social standings and family members affect a person from the day they are born and bring a natural conflict into the lives of characters no matter what era the story takes place.
8. How do you feel your writing has changed since your first novel?
It’s grown in depth and breadth. My first novels were mainly westerns, and I had to find the confidence to embrace writing in other eras. I’ve now written stories that range from the Salem Witch Trials, to the 1950’s, and with each one, I’ve discovered things to love in every time period, which is what I stive to share with readers while telling the story of the hero and heroine on their journey happily ever after.
9. Recently Harlequin announced they are ending their Harlequin Historical line; your thoughts? T
he announcement saddened me. Besides writing them for over sixteen years, I love reading Harlequin historical novels. I understand how much the book world has changed over the years, and how publishers need to adjust in order to succeed and thrive. I trust that Harlequin will continue to provide readers with a variety of options.
10. Any upcoming books or news you’d like to share?
Daring to Dream of the Duke will be released in March. It’s the first book in the Brides for Sworn Bachelors series. Book two, Resisting the Roguish Captain, will be released in July. The third and final book in this series, In Need of a Noble Bride, will be a free read available on Harlequin’s website in March. I also have three more stories that will be released prior to Harlequin ending the historical line in September of 2027.
You can learn more about Lauri Robinson and her books through her website, twitter, facebook, and all relevant social medias.
Amazon links for upcoming stories:
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