Thursday, July 16, 2015

Yours by Design...Robin Helm

Available on Amazon
It is such a pleasure to have Robin Helm here at More Agreeably Engaged today. This is her first time to stop by and I am happy that she agreed to visit. Her latest series is the trilogy, Yours by Design. This series combines Pride & Prejudice with time travel, a bit of science fiction, fantasy and Christianity. That combination cannot be an easy task to accomplish in writing but evidently Ms. Helm has succeeded quite well. The third book, Forever Yours, has been released and it does sound so tempting. The reviewers are raving about it as well as the first two. Congratulations on your success and I look forward to the opportunity to read all three!

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Thank you for letting me interview you, Robin. I appreciate your time and your answers. My first question is one I am always interested in discovering from authors of Jane Austen variations, retellings, and etc. How and when did your interest in Jane Austen and Pride & Prejudice take root?

I have always been an avid reader. My sister, Gayle, taught me to read when I was four years old, and I’ve had a book in my hand constantly since then. I used to hide in closets to read when I was a child, because I knew that if my mother found me, she’d have a job for me to do. There was always housework, yard work, or gardening to be done in a family of six children.
I discovered Austen when I was in high school. I read Pride and Prejudice first, but I soon read Emma, Persuasion, and Sense and Sensibility. Later, I read her other works, but Pride and Prejudice has always been my favorite. I’m a romantic at heart.

Pride and Prejudice is my favorite too. We readers just cannot seem to get enough and I, for one, am thankful for all you authors that love to give us more to read! What drove you to start writing your own books? Did you write other things before writing PnP variations?

For several years, I wrote a column for a local newspaper along with poetry. After I left teaching high school full-time seven years ago, I started looking for ways to fill my time and have an income. Gayle had been editing for several JAFF authors, and she introduced me to the genre. I started out as a beta for other authors, and after Gayle encouraged me to write, I discussed my plot ideas for my first book (and all following books) with her. The concept of Darcy as Elizabeth’s guardian angel captured my imagination and resulted in The Guardian Trilogy (Guardian, SoulFire, and Legacy). It combined my love of science fiction and fantasy with my love of Austen.
So far, all six books I’ve written have been PnP variations, but I will likely write another angel/demon book which will be non-Austen YA in the near future. I also have another PnP variation in mind – a “what if” novella.

That is neat that you and your sister share a love of Jane Austen. Jane lived in a world that fascinates many of us. What about the Regency era is appealing to you?

I like the manners and civility. I think having rules for how one must behave would make life much easier. I also like the manner of dancing. Everyone knows what they’re supposed to do. I wouldn’t care for the lack of indoor toilets, plumbing, electricity, technology, and air conditioning. Stays, corsets, and uncomfortable clothing would also cancel out any pleasure I might have in the behavioral rules. No jeans? No computers or cell phones? Bah! In short, I like to envision it and write about it, but the reality of it would keep me from enjoying living in those conditions.

We tend to forget those realities when we are living in the world of fiction. Those are some sobering thoughts. Will you tell us something about your newest book that you love most.

I love the idea of a time swap between modern Will Darcy and his Regency ancestor (who becomes his descendant). I also love the premise: Fitzwilliam never really changed. He was a different man altogether. Forever Yours is the third in the Yours by Design trilogy. The other books are Accidentally Yours and Sincerely Yours.

I am intrigued! Your premise sounds enticing as well. What have you learned from writing that has helped you in your daily life?

I’ve learned that doing what I enjoy is much more productive and fulfilling than doing what I don’t enjoy. I still teach – music two days a week at a local charter school as well as piano lessons at my church where I am Associate in Music and Music Academy Director.

You are a busy lady. It is amazing that you still find time to write! Is there anything special about yourself or your writing that you would be willing to share with us?

My greatest accomplishment is rearing two lovely, strong, intelligent daughters who aren’t afraid to follow their hearts wherever they lead. My elder daughter served as a Navy nurse for five years before marrying her Captain Wentworth (a Marine fighter pilot) and having a child (soon to be two) with him overseas. She published her own book, The Gifted, several years ago and is now working on a book featuring Anne de Bourgh’s daughter. My younger daughter just married her Mr. Darcy in June and will move across the U.S. with him at the end of August while he pursues his dream career. She is also writing a book – a fantasy. Hmmm . . . Maybe they’re just trying to get away from me. Nope. My husband wrote a book, and he’s still here.

Sounds to me that they just be following in the footsteps of there parents! What a compliment to you both. Do you have a modern day author that has inspired you? If yes, what was it about their writing that was an inspiration?

In my teens and twenties, I read all of Victoria Holt’s (Eleanor Hibbert’s) gothic romance novels, fascinated by a glimpse into that world. I discovered that she had eight pen names, each one specific to a certain genre, so I also read her historical fiction, published under Jean Plaidy, and her modern Philippa Carr books. She showed me that a writer can have different personas and write in different genres.
My attraction to Austen variations began primarily through the books of Pamela Aiden who wrote the Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series.

I also read Victoria Holt and loved her novels. You taught me something today as I did not know that she wrote under different pen names. How interesting is that? I read and enjoyed Pamela Aiden's work too, and can see how those books would attract you to Austen variations. Since her books focused on Darcy, I now have a very important question for you. We all have our special reasons for loving Mr. Darcy, what are your reasons?

Quite simply, I love him because I think he would have loved me. I was (and am) an obstinate, headstrong girl very much like Elizabeth.


Fantastic answer to the last question, Robin Helm! I like that! I bet he would have loved you too. I am happy that I have had a chance to know you better from your answers to my questions. Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to chat with you about your writing. I hope you have much continued success. I look forward to your next books. Please come back and visit anytime. 

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Author Bio:

Robin Helm taught mainly high school English, Bible, and music for twenty-five years in Florida and South Carolina before she started to write her own books. She began by editing for other authors and publishing her own stories online on four different forums.

She is presently employed as the Associate of Music and Music Academy Director for her church, and she teaches private piano lessons and elementary school music classes.

Mrs. Helm is the author of a modern Austen variation fantasy fiction series, The Guardian Trilogy, which includes Guardian, SoulFire, and Legacy. She has also published the Yours by Design series, an Austen variation Regency/Modern Romance with a paranormal element. All three books of the series, Accidentally Yours, Sincerely Yours, and Forever Yours, are now available

She shares a blog, Jane Started It, with the other writers of the Crown Hill Writers' Guild, and is one of the founders and administrators of BeyondAusten.com, a website for readers with common interests.

She has one husband, one granddaughter, two daughters, two sons-in-law, four family dogs, four part time jobs, and six published books

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Connect with Robin Helm:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Blog, Jane Started It
Administrator of Beyond Austen (forum)
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
Smashwords
LinkedIn

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Available on Amazon
Available on Amazon

Available on Amazon 

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Now dear readers, there is a giveaway! YAY! Robin Helm's giveaway is very generous. One eBook will be given away internationally and either an eBook or paperback, winner's choice will be given away domestically. Also, the winner can choose any one of the books in the series! Isn't that great! Please let me know if you are international or US in your comments along with your contact information. If you are the randomly selected winner, you can then let us know which of the three you would like. Be sure and check out Amazon as I have it on good authority that the price of the first two books in the series has been temporarily lowered! :)  If you haven't already started these books, now would be an excellent time to begin. Now back to the giveaway...it will end at 11:59 PM on 22 July, 2015. Good luck to all and thank you again Robin Helm!

27 comments:

  1. Thanks for letting me be a guest on your blog, Janet! I really appreciate it. Robin

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    1. So glad to have you stop by. I enjoyed all your answers and look forward to your books. Thanks again, for visiting.

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  2. Writers, writers and more writers in your family. How lovely it is to all want to write. It sounds pretty amazing to me. I do have your novels on my wish list. Right now I have 4 others on the Kindle I need to read and they are all P & P variations. I have read over 200 P & P variations and can't get enough of my favorite author's characters.
    Thank you for the give away and also letting us into your lives.

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    1. Yes, we are a bookish, arty family. We all love to read and watch all the Austen novels. My husband quotes Austen with the best of us. Thank you for commenting! Robin

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  3. Reading about your books and your family
    of writers was equally interesting! Can't wait
    to read these. Thank you for the giveaway.

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed the interview and thought it was interesting. Thank you so much for stopping by to read and comment.

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    2. I should have identified myself in that last post. I'm using Anonymous because my passwords are working.

      Robin

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  4. Lovely interview, ladies! I've wondered how Robin became an Austen fan and I enjoyed the details of her background. That's neat that the whole family writes.

    I am on book three of the Yours By Design trio right now and I am so enchanted with the characters and create plot. Can't wait to see how certain things come to an end.

    Please do not enter me in the giveaway, Janet.

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    1. I saw your interview of Sincerely Yours on Amazon. Thank you so much for the kind words and intelligent analysis. What you got from the story was exactly what I was trying to convey.

      Thanks so much!

      Robin

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  5. Hi, Sophia Rose! Thank you for stopping by and for the kind words. I'm glad you're enjoying the series.

    Robin

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  6. I really enjoyed this short interview with Robin Helm. Your family is gifted too. I didn't know that your husband and one of your daughters is a writer. Thanks for sharing your life and writing with us.

    I'm international, Janet, so please enter me for the e-book drawing.

    evangelineace2020(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. We are all musical, too. How odd is it that our younger daughter married an NFL quarterback? We're an arty bunch who sings or play instruments and quotes Austen fluently, and he's a sports dude. They do have a great deal in common in things that matter the most, and we've all learned to appreciate the skill and intelligence required to play quarterback in football. Variety is the spice of life!

      Thank you for stopping by, Luthien84.

      Robin

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  7. Great interview! Looking forward to reading your series!

    tdungnvu (at ) yahoo (dot) com

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the interview, Dung Vu. I had fun answering the questions.

      I hope you enjoy the series.

      Thanks for leaving a comment!

      Robin

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  8. Although we are a "hop-skip-and-a-jump" neighbors, Robin, I learned several new things about you today. Did your column appear in the Progressive?

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    1. Yes, Regina. I cut ties with the Pageland Progressive several years ago after Brian Hough sold it. That was the paper in which I published a weekly article. While my conservative views were hailed by the local populace, the new owners were far more liberal and didn't appreciate my brilliance. Ha!

      Robin

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  9. I have read and loved the first two books of the series and loved both I can not wait to read the last in the series it had been on my TBR list for awhile. Thanks for the giveaway. I live in the US my email is Tresha_7atmsn.com

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    1. Thanks so much for the kind words, Tresha. I'm so glad you enjoyed Accidentally Yours and Sincerely Yours. If you liked those two, you will love Forever Yours. It is by far the favorite book of the series. I love to write big endings for a series.

      Thank you for commenting!

      Robin

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  10. Great answer to that last question! I feel the same way. I have enjoyed your books and would love to win a paperback. Thanks for the great interview. U.S.A.
    saganchilds (a) gmail.com

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    1. Janet made the interview a fun thing to do. Great answers require great questions. I really do think Mr. Darcy would loved me had we met when I was 20 or so. After all, my Mr. Knightley did, and I married him. (I miss my emojis.)

      Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting!

      Robing

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    2. Ha! I just noticed I used my name I use when I'm messaging Wendi Sotis! She's Wending and I'm Robing.

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  11. What an interesting interview! I like the Regency dancing, too.

    Thanks so much for offering this giveaway! I’d be thrilled to win either type of book :) .

    NovEllaandBanannabelle (at) Gmail (dot)com

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    1. I'm a traditional sort of woman. I like surprises when gifts are involved, but I don't care for them in a social setting. The idea of manners governing behavior and social niceties is very appealing. I'm a Southern girl, and we do live somewhat by a set of manners and rules here. However, the dancing is just as "out there" as it is in the rest of the country.

      Thank you so much for your kind comments, NovElla.

      Robin

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  12. What a great interview! I love getting to know an author's inspiration and what a talented family! I liked your Guardian trilogy and found it very original and thought provoking. Thank you for writing!
    Nicole _a_baur@yahoodotcom

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    1. I love meeting readers who enjoyed the Guardian trilogy. Those books are my babies. I cut my writing teeth on them. My writing has (I hope) improved a great deal since I wrote Guardian, and I intended to rewrite it, but I have changed my mind. A couple of days ago, I designed new kindle covers for the series, and I may reformat the print copies, but other than that, I think it should stand as written five years ago - warts and all.

      Thank you for reading and leaving a comment, Nik.

      Robin

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  13. Wonderful interview! Thank you for the giveaway!
    cherringtonmb at sbcglobal dot net

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed reading the interview, BeckyC, and I always like doing giveaways.

      Thanks for commenting and good luck!

      Robin

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