JR: First, Aunty Cindy, thanks for inviting me to blog with you today. You are my CP extraordinaire!
AC: Thanks a bunch for being here, and for your wonderful critiques of my work! But, tell us about your current project.
JR: I'm very excited that THE WATCHER, my Golden Heart-winning book, is available on Amazon, both in paperback and as an electronic download.(Just click on the title of this post to go to the kindle p
age on Amazon!)
THE WATCHER is the first book I completed that didn't have to be stuffed under the bed never to see the light of day again! It's the story of forensic psychiatrist Kate Myers and Deputy Sheriff Ben Slater who work together to solve a serial murder crime. Both Kate and Slater are struggling to leave the dark places in their lives. As they take this dangerous journey to capture a killer, they must learn to trust and rely on each other.
Here's the back blurb:
Forensic psychiatrist Kate Myers believes the killer of two teenage girls in Bigler County, California, is the same man who savagely murdered her twin sister over fifteen years ago. Working with a single-minded tenacity, she sets out to prove it.
Deputy Sheriff Ben Slater hides his personal pain behind the job, but Kate's arrival knocks his world on its axis. He wants to believe her wild theory, but the idea of a serial killer with the kind of pathology she proposes is too bizarre.
Together they work to find a killer whose roots began in a small town in Bigler County, but whose violence spread across the nation. A Janus-like killer, more monster than man, he fixates on Kate. The killer wants nothing more than to kill "the purple-eyed girl again."
AC: THE WATCHER has an unusual kind of villain. Where did you get the idea for him?
JR: Actually, I got the idea when I was taking a Women's Psychology course at our local college. I was fascinated by one of the true cases our professor told us about. I took that concept, tweaked and twisted (really, really twisted) the idea until I came up with the very unusual kind of serial killer in THE WATCHER. Since the book's a romantic thriller, I don't want to spoil anything!
I get many of my ideas from TV shows or movies, classes I've taken, lots of administration of justice class which are really fascinating, or books and magazines. It only takes a kernel to spur a writer's imagination.
AC: I completely agree about ideas coming from everywhere. Why do you write romantic suspense?
JR: The two genres I most enjoy reading are historical romance (preferably with a daub of mystery) and romantic suspense. Everyone's saying the RS market is soft right now, but I figure that's what I like to read and it's the easiest for me to write.
This particular book definitely came out of the psychology case I mentioned earlier. I won't say too much, but I will say that the crux of the mystery involves the idea that sexuality isn't the fluid kind of thing psychologists once thought. It's much more complex than that, and sometimes a person's genetic makeup is in opposition to his/her real sexuality.
AC: I loved this story and I'm thrilled to have this book released so that everyone can read it. What's next for Jo Robertson?
JR: The second book, THE AVENGER, in this loosely connected trilogy will be available on Amazon in September. It's another serial killer book and involves two childhood sweethearts who are tragically separated and then meet again to solve a current case. We'll see Sheriff Ben Slater return in this one as a secondary character.
I've also completed two historical suspense stories and most recently a young adult paranormal, which made the first cut in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest.
AC: I'm lucky enough to have read THE AVENGER and it is another GREAT read! Plus we get to see Ben Slater again -- YIPEE! I've read Jo's other work too (Being her CP has definite perks) and enjoyed all of them. I'm sure readers will be just as happy as I am to have these books available!
Thanks so much for joining me today, Jo. Now get back to work on THE AVENGER! 
Jo was inspired by her psychology class. What was your favorite class when you were in school?
Jo will be giving away a free download of the electronic version of THE WATCHER to one lucky commenter. Also, if you'd like a postcard of either THE WATCHER or THE AVENGER, or even a postcard of Aunty Cindy's THE SIDHE PRINCESS send your snail mail addy to: cindymm18 AT gmail DOT com
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54 comments:
Whoo Hoo I am soo happy over the release of your book Jo I have it on my e reader and am soo looking forward to reading it.
When I was at school home economis (cooking) was my favourite subject LOL.
Thanks Aunty Cindy for inviting Jo today and I love learning new things about the books I love to read and the authors who write them
Congrats on the release
Have fun
Helen
Love romantic suspense and I'm thrilled to see another new face in the suspense author crowd. Sounds like we'll be seeing more of you soon!
Hi, everybody. Looks like I wasn't the only person who slept in today. My computer's wireless router just died (or something equally drastic) so I'm using my husband's laptop. Funny how the fingers don't work on someone else's keyboard LOL!
Hi, Helen, you're so sweet to swing by Aunty Cindy's blog today and bring your darling grandkids with you!
Thanks for the lovely compliment. I couldn't resist downloading it onto my Kindle too and am reading it with a critical eye LOL.
When I was in school, we called that Home Ec (home economics like yours) and we took cooking and sewing, which I was a diaster at! I think now they call it Food Science.
Hi, Jessicaaspen, thanks for stopping by. I enjoy all kinds of suspense-thriller-mystery, romantic or not. There's a big playground out there.
Are you a writer too? What genre?
Jo, taking something from true crime stories and changing them into your series gives them that extra bonus of suspense to me. Your next book sounds intriguing too.
Aunty Cindy, didn't know you and Jo were CPs. Two great minds together. :)
Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Freelance Editing By Mason
Morning everyone!
Hmmm, I think I fixed the funky colors in the blurb. Dunno what I did, but it looks MUCH BETTER now. :-)
Helen, why am I not surprised you loved Home Ec? Like Jo, I was a disaster at it. It wasn't like I couldn't cook or sew, but I wasn't patient enough to sit and wait for the teacher to "approve" you pinning your pattern on the fabric and stuff like that. :-P As impatient as I am now, I had even less as a teen!
Glad you enjoyed the interview, and I know you will enjoy The Watcher!
AC
Thanks for dropping by, Jessica!
So glad you enjoyed the interview. Jo and I had fun doing it. And yes, once readers start with one of Jo's books, I'm sure they will be hooked! We will all be saying, "I knew her when." ;-)
AC
Hi Mason!
Really appreciate you dropping by. LOL on Great Minds... Not so sure about "great" but "twisted" fer sure! ;-) Jo and I have been CPs since we met when we were both finalist in the 2006 Golden Heart. The contest Jo WON, btw and with this book, The Watcher!
My finaling story is the one that eventually became The Treasures of Venice.
As Paul Harvey would say, now you know 'the rest of the story.' :-)
AC
Jo, I hope you got your 'puter problems squared away...
Hey, NO going back to read The Watcher! You need to be working on The Avenger! Don't make Aunty get her riding crop after you. ;-)
AC
Thanks, Mason, for stopping by. It's good to "see" familiar faces.
The Avenger, coming out in a few weeks, is about a serial killer too, but this one just has mental defects LOL! I get to use the heroine's expertise in Ancient Studies (Latin and Greek culture and language) to trap the killer!
Fun!
Ooooh, we get to see Ben again? Sign. Me. Up.
Hey Jo! Hey Aunty Cindy! Two of my fav Romance Bandits in one place! WOOT!
Jo, you know how much I loved reading The Watcher - it's a page turner and one of those "shiver up the spine" books in places. And did I mention Ben? Ohhhhh, yeah.
Glad he's making a reappearance in The Avenger and I'll look forward to getting that one as soon as it's out. Grins.
Hello there! Congrats on getting your book to market, Jo. The blurb alone still scares me. LOL! I'm trying to work up the courage to dive in. I admit, the hero sounds to yummy to pass up.
My kiddo is taking a Home Ec type class, but they call it Teen Living over here. Which makes no sense to me, but whatever.
I loved English classes. Shocker, I know. :)
Hi Jo--
Great to see you here. I have THE WATCHER on my new Kindle. Can't wait to read it!
Brenda
Hehehe - this will come as no surprise, but it was a toss-up between Math and English. Seriously, I love algebra! Story problems? Love 'em. I liked the proofs in Geometry as well. Wasn't crazy about Calculus, though. I took Honors English and fancied that one day I would be an English teacher. That dream went out the window with my first Education class. Bo - ring. I figured I couldn't take four years of that stuff and changed my major to Journalism and then Accounting. Kudos to all the high school teachers out there (like Jo). You are much more dedicated than me.
Hey Duchesse!
Thanx for swinging by from the Bandit Lair, where we have yet another SUPER Launch PAR-TAY going on! ;-)
Oh yeah, more Ben Slater in The Avenger. And just WAIT til you meet Jackson Holt!
AC
Hey, Jo! I'm so excited to read this book. I will never forget sitting next to you at the GH ceremony when you won. You were so utterly astonished. You turned to me like, "Who...?" and I was all, "You! Go, go, go! Speech!" It makes me happier than you can even imagine that I can now buy this book. So don't enter me to win. I want the pleasure of buying it. Congrats again!
Ahoy, TerriO!
PIRATE UP! Ben Slater is too good to miss coz the story is a wee bit scary. Turn on all the lights and keep reading. ;-)
Teen Living? Wouldn't that be messing up the classroom, expecting the teacher to clean it up, cook meals, and supply spending money?!?!
AC
Brenda,
You are gonna LOVE reading The Watcher. But you might wanna leave the lights on (see my comment to Terri). Just in case...
Thanks for dropping by!
AC
LOL Donna! Yeah, big surprise that you liked math. :-)
I intended to be a teacher too, but there was an excess of teachers when I was in college, so I never taught a day. Probably just as well...
And I'm surprised you didn't mention history since you writer historicals. Then again, I am a HUGE history buff (and was a history major) but I write contemporaries... go figure!
AC
Hi Susan!
Aunty waves madly as another Bandita swings by!
I LOVED Jo's speech in Atlanta when she thanked her SEVEN children. I think half the audience gasped! I know I did -- HA!
How sweet of you to BUY The Watcher. And at $2.99 for the ebook version, WHAT A BARGAIN!
AC
who dearly loves a bargain
Jo and Cindy--great interview! I just got the Kindle edition of The Watcher and am looking forward to reading it.
WOO HOO! Six Banditas in da house! Means we get eggrolls, right?
Thanx for popping by Nancy! Since you are one of the Lair's "Boom Girls" I know you're going to enjoy The Watcher. Probably not quite enough BOOM to suit you and Le Duchesse, but plenty of GREAT suspense!
AC
Jo, The Watcher sounds fantastic. I love how you got your idea to write it. The title is great, too. Congratulations on your release!
Great interview.. I love romantic suspense
My fav subject at school was English and History...
AC said: PIRATE UP! Ben Slater is too good to miss coz the story is a wee bit scary. Turn on all the lights and keep reading. ;-)
Hahah! THis really is true. I WRITE this stuff and I was lookin' over my shoulder. Grins.
AC said: I LOVED Jo's speech in Atlanta when she thanked her SEVEN children. I think half the audience gasped! I know I did -- HA!
Heehee. I did too. She looks so mild-mannered and innocent...it's the quiet ones, I tell ya'
I totally forgot to answer the "fav subjects in school" question.
I loved school. I didn't love math, but I loved school so I tolerated math. Ha! Favs? History. Western Civ. English composition. ('though the comma problem I had then still persists today!) French Literature. Chemsitry. I LOVVVVED Chemistry and algebra to go with it. That was the only math-based class I liked.
"Bubble-bubble, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble..." I thought that every time I walked into Chemistry. SNORK!!!
Whoa, thanks for the Bandita love, everyone! So nice to see our sisters here.
Jeanne said, "Ooooh, we get to see Ben again? Sign. Me. Up."
LOL. I had to work very hard to keep Slater in his place in the second book. He's so dominant! It's amazing how diction (word choice) works well in downplaying a character's personality. I didn't want Slater to outshine Jackson Holt, the hero in THE AVENGER.
Hi, TerriO! Thanks for stopping by.
You said, "My kiddo is taking a Home Ec type class, but they call it Teen Living over here."
Very interesting title. Makes it sound like they figure teens will be living independently of their parents and need to prepare for it. Cooking, sewing buttons on. Wonder what you do when they move back in with you??!!
I neglected to say what my favorite class was. In high school it was history, particularly World History under a very demanding teacher who actually inspired me to want to teach.
In college probably the the English lit and psychology classes. Graduate classes, by far a seminary on the Bronte's was my fav. Amazing women (oh and the brother too!).
Hi, Donna! Not surprised you liked math classes and I'll bet you were really good at them too. I liked my math classes, but when I got to the higher concepts, I was overwhelmed.
Hi, Brenda! Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy reading THE WATCHER on your Kindle. I'm halfway through reading it on mine and enjoying seeing it in this format.
Cindy said, "And just WAIT til you meet Jackson Holt!"
Jackson is a darker, more brooding character than Slater. He's had more trauma in his life and past acts that he has to reconcile with the man he wants to be.
Hope everyone likes him; he was fun to write.
Sweet Susan, thanks for the compliments. That was an interesting night, wasn't it? My mind was so far from winning (heck, even finaling) that I didn't even have thoughts prepared. Right as they started to list the finalists, I thought, darn I'd better get something in my head. Then, when they called my mind, I really DID go into shock! So fun and funny!
Cindy said, "How sweet of you to BUY The Watcher. And at $2.99 for the ebook version, WHAT A BARGAIN!"
You definitely want to get the ebook if you have any kind of e-reader. It's quite a savings.
Hi, Nancy, thanks for swinging by. Hope you enjoy THE WATCHER.
Thanks, Theresa Ragan! If I have a fraction of the success you've had with your books, I'll be happy. Thanks for sharing all your good information on the Indie Loop!
Kathleen O said, "My fav subject at school was English and History..."
Mine too, probably because I was good in those classes. And I majored and minored in them in college. I think a lot of writers lean this way?
Are you a writer, Kathleen? What do you write?
Jeanne said, "She looks so mild-mannered and innocent...it's the quiet ones, I tell ya'"
ROTFLOL. You should hear my children get together and share stories of how they got me to "lose" my quiet!
Jeanne said, ""Bubble-bubble, toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble..." I thought that every time I walked into Chemistry. SNORK!!!"
Ha, most famous line in Shakespeare. I always wanted to be one of the witches.
I loved school too, Jeanne. I enjoyed learning and had my group of friends. Good times.
Hi Jo! Hi Cindy! I wondered where all the lair's cabana boys had gone - clearly they're moonlighting, making margaritas over here! How interesting about your psychology class inspiring the baddie in the Watcher. I think the title is even creepy - brrrrr! So intriguing. And the Avenger is slightly less creepy, I think, but still very intriguing. Actually no surprise when I say my fave subjects at school were history and English although another subject of study that has enriched my life immeasurably is music.
Hey Aunty Cindy and Jo,
Congrats on your debut release, Jo. Can't wait to read "The Watcher." History was my favorite subject. I was always fascinated by historical figures and events.
No Jo I am not a writer.. Someone has to read all these books..
Jo said, "Ha, most famous line in Shakespeare."
I thought "To be or not to be, that is the question." was the most famous, though I prefer The Scottish Play by FAAAR over Hamelt, which I was forced to read in high school. :-P
Oh wait, maybe "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" is the most famous! I'm a Shakespeare nut (in spite of being forced to read both Hamlet and Julius Caesar) so I'm probably not the best one to ask which is his most famous line. ;-)
AC
Hey Birthday Girl!
We only borrowed a few cabana boys to mix up margaritas... Okay 7, that's a FEW! :-P
I agree with you about studying music. I played the flute for 5 years and I feel it really enriched my life far beyond an appreciation of music.
AC
Hi Jane!
Glad to see you made it by! I always loved reading about historical figures and events too. Plus, for some reason, I have a good memory for dates. ;-)
AC
Kathleen said, "Someone has to read all these books.."
Yes indeed! And THANK GOODNESS for wonderful readers like you, Helen, Mason and Jane! All us writers would be lost without you!
AC
Kathleen said, "Someone has to read all these books"
Ah, it's a nasty job, but you're right, somebody has to do it LOL!
Hi, Anna! Thanks for swinging over. Yes (sheepishly) we "borrowed" a few of the boys. Can't have a party without the cabanas!
Music, another favorite class. An instrument or vocal?
Hi, Jane. We've got a lot of history buffs in our group today. I think it's fascinating to study events and people from the past.
Cindy, I want to thank you again for inviting me to blog with you today and getting to know your delightful fans.
It was truly MY PLEASURE, Jo!
And BIG THANX to everyone who popped by today.
I'll announce the winner tomorrow.
AC
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