June 26th, 2004 Chat with Robin D. Owens
22:14:07 [Jacqueline] Welcome to Word Museum, Robin! After writing seriously for more years than she cares to remember, Robin D. Owens sold her fourth completed manuscript to Berkley Jove Authors. Heart Mate was the first futuristic/fantasy purchased by Jove for its Magical Love line. Robin’s second book set on the pla
22:14:23 [RobinOwens] planet Celta
22:14:48 [RobinOwens] LOL
22:15:00 [RobinOwens] ga
22:15:03 [Jacqueline] Heart Thief, was released June 3. Her third book, Heart Duel, will be released April 2004. Robin D. Owens was recently approached to be in a Berkley anthology to be released in early 2005.
22:15:23 [Jacqueline] Robin won a RITA Award (The Oscar of Romance Writing) in Paranormal Romance for Heart Mate in 2002. She’s been a member of Romance Writers of America for several years and is the current e-list monitor for the Futuristic, Fantasy & Paranormal chapter.
22:15:23 [RobinOwens] Whew.
22:15:29 [RobinOwens] Excellent, Jacki.
22:15:44 [Jacqueline] I’m not done.
22:15:45 [RobinOwens] Thanks.
22:15:50 [Jacqueline] Robin will be doing a hands-on workshop for the FF&P Minicon at RWA’s National Conference this year in New York, as well as presenting a seminar on writing paranormal, “The Rules of Magic.”
22:15:56 [RobinOwens] Ooops.
22:16:11 [RobinOwens] Wow, all of that.
22:16:23 [RobinOwens] I’m very impressed with myself. :0
22:16:35 [RobinOwens] =
22:16:35 [Glenda] lol
22:16:37 [Jacqueline] You have a very impressive resume, Robin! Everyone, please give Robin D. Owens a warm welcome!
22:16:44 [RobinOwens] oops
22:16:59 [Jacqueline] Then tell us about Heart Thief.
22:17:31 [RobinOwens] Heart Thief, BERKLEY SENSATION SHOWCASE June 2003. Heart Thief is the story of Ruis Elder — a man without psi powers on a world where they are prized. An outcast, Ruis must overcome all society to survive, pursue his passion for restoring ancient Earth technology, and win his love — Judge Ailim
22:17:41 [RobinOwens] D’SilverFir
22:18:23 [RobinOwens] But you all know that, I think. So I’m here to answer any tough questions…or easy ones too. ga
22:19:20 [Jacqueline] Robin, you’re a wonderful world builder. How far in advance did you start building your world for the Celta series?
22:19:23 [Jacqueline] ga
22:19:32 Mac enters this room
22:19:48 [Jacqueline] Welcome, Mac!
22:19:51 [Moe] Hello and welcome! We’re talking to Robin D. Owens. We’ll be using protocol, so please type “?” to ask a question, “!” to make a comment, and “GA” for go ahead to signify you’re done speaking. WE WILL CALL ON YOU IN TURN.
22:20:04 [Delyn] Hi Mac
22:20:20 [Mac] Howdy *waves*
22:20:21 [RobinOwens] I didn’t. I made it up as I went along. However, since HeartMate sat around for a while, I had time to refine it before it came out (mostly — still make up as I go along sometimes)….ga
22:20:23 [Glenda] howdy Mac
22:20:30 [RobinOwens] Hey, Mac.
22:20:41 [sylkzeri] ?
22:20:54 [RobinOwens] I’m up to about 15/20 pages of notes. ga
22:21:01 robint enters this room
22:21:06 [Jacqueline] ga, sylk
22:21:35 [sylkzeri] what kind of response do you get from readers re the pets in your book?
22:23:00 [RobinOwens] Well, I think if they don’t like the pets or think they are too precious they don’t finish reading the books. If they like cats, I usually hear from them and they say “I have a cat just like Zanth,” or they look at the pics on my website and say, I have a cat just like…..” ga
22:23:34 [sylkzeri] do you organize your notes? In what way, or how?
22:23:49 [sylkzeri] ga
22:23:49 [RobinOwens] Usually cat lovers let me know that they’ve enjoyed the books.
22:23:50 [Glenda] ?
22:24:20 [Jacqueline] ga, Glenda
22:24:33 [Glenda] Robin, if you could co-author with any author from the past..let’s say deceased author..whom would it be and why?
22:24:39 [Jacqueline] Hold on Glenda, sorry
22:24:57 [RobinOwens] My notes are on an electronic file under Celta….Hmmm….better print it out someday. I have Families, Geography, Names, Naming Structure, days of the week, laws, things like that.
22:25:00 [RobinOwens] ga
22:25:30 JessB enters this room
22:25:37 [Jacqueline] Did you see Glenda’s question after my finger slipped, Robin?
22:25:41 [Delyn] Make sure that you have a copy of that file Robin, it would be heXX to recreate.
22:25:48 [Moe] Hello and welcome! We’re talking to Robin D. Owens. We’ll be using protocol, so please type “?” to ask a question, “!” to make a comment, and “GA” for go ahead to signify you’re done speaking. WE WILL CALL ON YOU IN TURN.
22:25:52 [Jacqueline] Hi Jess!
22:25:56 [RobinOwens] When I need something, I go look it up in the files, which of the GreatLords/Ladies are HeartMates, etc. When I change something, I change it in my notes.
22:25:57 Zee enters this room
22:26:05 [Moe] Hello and welcome! We’re talking to Robin D. Owens. We’ll be using protocol, so please type “?” to ask a question, “!” to make a comment, and “GA” for go ahead to signify you’re done speaking. WE WILL CALL ON YOU IN TURN.
22:26:20 [RobinOwens] I think I have it on floppy, but not hard copy lately.
22:26:25 [JessB] Hi everyone!
22:26:35 [Glenda] hi Jess
22:26:39 [Jacqueline] Welcome Zee
22:26:39 [RobinOwens] I have pics for all the plants and tidbits on plant lore for the characters I use.
22:26:46 Blanche enters this room
22:26:52 [RobinOwens] Hi Jess, hi, Zee.
22:26:55 [RobinOwens] Hi Blanche.
22:27:00 [RobinOwens] Nice to see you all.
22:27:04 [Blanche] Hi all
22:27:05 [Jacqueline] Welcome, Blanche
22:27:19 [Jacqueline] Glenda, can you repeat your question, please?
22:27:21 [Moe] Hello and welcome! We’re talking to Robin D. Owens. We’ll be using protocol, so please type “?” to ask a question, “!” to make a comment, and “GA” for go ahead to signify you’re done speaking. WE WILL CALL ON YOU IN TURN.
22:27:31 [RobinOwens] Sorry
22:27:38 [Glenda] 22:24:33 [Glenda] Robin, if you could co-author with any author from the past..let’s say deceased author..whom would it be and why?
22:27:47 [Blanche] ?
22:28:02 [RobinOwens] I didn’t see it. Diva made a flying pass by around the desk, cold paws on bare legs…
22:28:07 Zee exits from this room
22:28:11 [Jacqueline] <my mistake, Robin, finger slipped>
22:28:20 [RobinOwens] Steven Allen. He was VERY sharp and funny
22:28:29 [RobinOwens] Steve Allen
22:29:31 [RobinOwens] I called up a male crit buddy last night to run a scene by him. Since I’m single, I need advice sometimes /ga
22:30:04 [Jacqueline] ga, Blanche
22:30:17 [RobinOwens] We lost Zee.
22:30:22 [RobinOwens] I’m SO boring…
22:30:28 [RobinOwens] LOL
22:30:33 [Moe] ?
22:30:48 [Jacqueline] Yeah, right!
22:30:51 [Blanche] What is the funnist thing a fan has said to you?
22:31:01 [Jacqueline] that’s what my kids say.
22:31:06 [Glenda] booga booga booga
22:31:31 [Jacqueline] lol
22:32:03 [Blanche] ?
22:32:12 [RobinOwens] I really can’t recall. The strangest thing that’s happened is that sometimes I look at cat photos (sometimes very BAD cat photos) at signings….
22:32:28 [Blanche] LOL
22:32:35 [Jacqueline] I can imagine…
22:32:47 [Glenda] porno cat photos?
22:32:54 [RobinOwens] Mistral/Samba now on the desk demanding attention
22:33:17 [RobinOwens] Nope just blurry, dull cat photos….I will not name names…
22:33:21 [RobinOwens] ga
22:33:41 [Jacqueline] I’ll have to send you some photos of my cats
22:33:52 [Jacqueline] go ahead Moe
22:33:59 [JessB] lol at the kitty porn
22:34:05 [Moe] You mentioned when you entered that you hadn’t finished your pages for today. You have daily writing goals? Are they the same throughout the year? How do you keep on top of them? How do you avoid procrastination? ga
22:34:07 [RobinOwens] Oh, I get photos of cats from fans all the time. Those I like.
22:34:13 [RobinOwens] ga
22:34:38 [Jacqueline] good one, Moe
22:35:03 [Moe]
22:35:39 [RobinOwens] Moe, my daily writing goals started last month But I’ve been part of a group called Survivor Writers for about a year 15 pgs a week.
22:36:21 [RobinOwens] I have trouble meeting them when I am revising…Mistral drinking out of MY water….but I usually can do more than the daily quota, so I catch up.
22:36:40 [RobinOwens] It’s important NOT to scold yourself, that just makes missing goals worse.
22:36:43 [RobinOwens] ga
22:36:47 [Glenda] cat spit!
22:37:17 [RobinOwens] Yes, it is now Mistral’s water.
22:37:32 [Jacqueline] You’re up, Blanch
22:38:02 [Moe] ?
22:38:14 [Blanche] What do you love most about writing ? ga
22:39:13 [RobinOwens] When it’s going well and you get in the zone, and feel exhilerated and those endorphins spill into your bloodstream and its almost as good as sex
22:39:37 [Blanche] LOL
22:39:44 [JessB] almost
22:39:46 [RobinOwens] Or looking back at something I wrote and knowing it was good, that I did soemthing I didn’t think I could do.
22:39:48 [RobinOwens] ga
22:40:14 [Jacqueline] Well put, Robin
22:40:50 [Jacqueline] Have I skipped anyone?
22:41:01 [sylkzeri] ?
22:41:07 [RobinOwens] Moe
22:41:10 [Jacqueline] ga, sylkzeri
22:41:19 [Moe] Where would you like to be in your writing/publishing 5 years from now? ga
22:41:37 [sylkzeri] do you have a webpage, and if so, do you have info on names etc?
22:41:44 [Jacqueline] Oops, sorry, Moe
22:42:09 [RobinOwens] On the NY Times best seller list? Definitely able to quit my day job.
22:42:27 [Glenda] fingers crossed!
22:42:39 [RobinOwens] Sylk, yes I do. http://www.robinowens.com Look for my Celta page. Do you want info on pronunciation?
22:42:48 [sylkzeri] yes please!
22:43:22 [Jacqueline] Her website is updated monthly with motivational quotes, creativity exercises, affirmations on her Free Your Artist Page and information on her world Celta (including character interviews and cut scenes) on the Celta page.
22:43:27 [RobinOwens] T’Ash Tash D’Ash Dash T’Reed Treed Bucus Byu-cus Ruis Louis
22:43:43 [RobinOwens] But I don’t really care
22:43:55 [sylkzeri] is that lewis or looie?
22:44:11 [RobinOwens] lewis
22:44:16 [RobinOwens] Luis
22:44:35 [RobinOwens] D’SilverFir DaSilverfir
22:44:37 [sylkzeri]
22:44:46 [Jacqueline] Robin, how do you come up with the names of your charactors?
22:45:04 [Glenda] D’SilverFir..that makes me laugh.
22:45:19 [RobinOwens] Oh, I am VERY Strict with myself!
22:46:09 [RobinOwens] The FirstFamilies are all the Ogham alphabet. Ailim Ay lim
22:46:56 [RobinOwens] I have Celtic reference books. Then I use herb books for plant names. Zanth = Zanthoyxl Americanus — American Ash
22:47:04 BettyD enters this room
22:47:12 [RobinOwens] Bucus was Sambucus something
22:47:20 [Jacqueline] Hey, Betty!
22:47:24 [Blanche] hi Betty
22:47:30 [BettyD] hey
22:47:39 [BettyD] sorry I’m late
22:47:53 [Moe] Hey BD!
22:48:07 [Glenda] ?
22:48:11 [RobinOwens] I also use the Herbal Tarot for characteristics, qualities, Like Goldenseal is Judgement, so he became a judge.
22:48:12 [BettyD] hey Moe!
22:48:18 [RobinOwens] Welcome Betty ga
22:48:47 [BettyD] thanks Robin
22:48:50 [Jacqueline] That’s really cool, Robin
22:48:59 [Jacqueline] go, Glenda
22:49:06 [Glenda] Robin, would you like to see any of your books turned into movies?
22:49:15 [RobinOwens] Yeldoc (the bailiff in Heart Theif) was from the Two of Pentacles I think, Yellow Dock
22:49:19 [Jacqueline] <I would>
22:49:53 [BettyD] ?
22:49:59 [RobinOwens] Sure, but like all books, I think they are too long. I write long. Don’t know how I’m going to handle that anthology….thanks for the Crit, Jacki!!!!
22:50:11 [RobinOwens] ga
22:50:25 [Jacqueline] You, betcha
22:50:41 [Jacqueline] ga, Betty, then we’ll draw for a prize
22:51:05 [BettyD] just under the wire!
22:51:09 [RobinOwens] Sounds good to me, the sun is just sinking here…Solstice was last Saturday.
22:51:30 [BettyD] Robin, who would you like to see starring in the movie based on one of your books?
22:51:36 [Jacqueline] I know, it was a nice one here.
22:52:14 [RobinOwens] Hmmmm. Hard to say. I’m not up on the current actors. I don’t like to go to movies by myself.
22:52:43 [RobinOwens] T’Ash was based on Oliver Reed, and Lamas?
22:52:51 [RobinOwens] Can’t think of his first name.
22:53:00 [BettyD] Oliver Reed? Yum!
22:53:05 [Jacqueline] Lorenzo?
22:53:11 [Delyn] Lorenzo?
22:53:13 [BettyD] Fernando or Lorenzo?
22:53:21 [RobinOwens] I have made a cootie catcher for Heart Thief as a promo. Lorenzo, yes.
22:53:28 [Glenda] Give me Brad Pitt.
22:53:35 [RobinOwens] LOL
22:53:51 [BettyD] have a feeling Glenda would say that anytime
22:53:54 [Blanche] LOL
22:53:55 [Jacqueline] cootie catcher?
22:54:20 [Glenda] I read that cooter cathcer. ROFLOL
22:54:26 [RobinOwens] Ruis was Billy Rae Cyrus, Ailim was
22:54:37 [RobinOwens] Your book is on the way, Jacki, you will know
22:54:45 [Jacqueline] LOL, Glenda
22:54:58 [Delyn] Robin, did you have them printed?
22:54:58 [RobinOwens] Ailim….shoot, horrible at names tonight….Blythe Danner
22:54:58 [Jacqueline] Oh, I know, Robin
22:55:27 [RobinOwens] Yes, Ruis didn’t turn out so good.
22:55:39 [Jacqueline] <not what a cootie catcher is , but that my book is on it’s way.>
22:55:47 [RobinOwens] I will be putting it up on my site soon to download.
22:55:49 [RobinOwens] ta
22:56:23 [RobinOwens] A cootie catcher is a childrens fortune telling game, you put your fingers in it, triangles
22:56:36 KimCox enters this room
22:56:42 [RobinOwens] made from a square piece of paper.
22:56:51 [Moe] Hi Kim
22:56:53 [Jacqueline] Okay, Robin is giving away 1 copy of Heart Mate and 1 of Heart Thief as doorprizes.
22:57:03 [Blanche] hi Kim
22:57:03 [Glenda] I never knew it was called that!
22:57:07 [BettyD] don’t remember what we called it when I was a kid, but it weren’t cootie catcher
22:57:07 [Jacqueline] Hi Kim
22:57:12 [KimCox] Hey
22:57:13 [Glenda] Hi Kim.
22:57:23 [KimCox] Sorry, so late.
22:57:29 [RobinOwens] Oh, if you have HM and want HT, I will substitute.
22:57:40 [Blanche] LOL Betty
22:57:42 [RobinOwens] Just in time, Kim.
22:57:59 [Jacqueline] I need a drum roll…
22:58:06 [BettyD] just makin’ up for lost time ;0
22:58:13 [RobinOwens] I sent the book out to you yesterday Jacki, the one you won…..rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
22:58:26 [RobinOwens] (drum roll) rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
22:58:29 [Glenda] crash boom bam
22:58:48 [Jacqueline] Okay, lucky winner number one issssssssssssss
22:58:49 [BettyD] ta ra ta ta ta ta
22:58:52 [Jacqueline] Jess!
22:59:07 [JessB] yea!!!
22:59:12 [KimCox] Congrats, Jess!
22:59:13 [Blanche] congrats Jess
22:59:13 [Glenda] congrats to Jess!!!!!!
22:59:14 [RobinOwens] Kewl.
22:59:14 [Jacqueline] Congrats, Jess!
22:59:16 [BettyD] yahoo Jess!
22:59:17 [Delyn] Congratulations Jess!!!
22:59:32 [sylkzeri] cool jess…
22:59:40 [JessB] yippee!
23:00:11 [JessB] I’m pumped now…this WAS a boring night ya know…until this chat….gg
23:00:15 [RobinOwens] Congratulations. HeartMate or Heart Thief is yours….let me know your snail mail robin@robinowens.com say Heart Thief or HeartMate in the subject line so I know you don’t want me to grow an appendage I don’t have…
23:00:34 [Jacqueline] The second winner is Dely!
23:00:37 [JessB] hahahahahahahaha
23:00:52 [Jacqueline] Congratulations Delyn!
23:00:53 [Glenda] congrats to Delyn!!!!!!!!!!
23:01:03 [Delyn] Thank you
23:01:04 [Blanche] congrats Delyn
23:01:07 [Jacqueline] Cute, Robin
23:01:11 [BettyD] good stuff
23:01:15 [RobinOwens] Hey, Delyn, you’ll see the final copy.
23:01:19 [JessB] congrats Delyn
23:01:21 [Glenda] Spam is so confusing. You don’t know if you need a bigger Penis or bigger breast.
23:01:25 [KimCox] congrats, Delyn!
23:01:40 [RobinOwens] Someone thinks I need Viagra.
23:01:42 [Blanche] LOL
23:01:49 [Delyn] Looking forward to it.
23:01:55 [Moe] Or both
23:01:56 [sylkzeri] too funny glenda
23:02:04 [JessB] someone wants me to see hot naked college girls. hello?
23:02:14 [Jacqueline] Congratulations winners!
23:02:14 [Delyn] <knocking on wood> I haven’t had too much spam…
23:02:18 [Glenda] and farm animals.
23:02:19 [Moe] Yeah, I get that one too.
23:02:29 [JessB] Thanks Robin!!
23:02:36 [RobinOwens] Or I’m really free tonight for a date…
23:02:47 [Delyn] Those sound awful…
23:02:48 [Glenda] Thanks for the great chat Robin.
23:02:50 [RobinOwens] You’re welcome, Jess, good to see you again.
23:03:00 [Jacqueline] Thank you all for coming, and thanks for the great chat, Robin!
23:03:01 [Glenda] goodnight to all!
23:03:13 [sylkzeri] really appreciate the name guide. helpful!!
23:03:23 [Blanche] It was fun, good night you all
23:03:24 [Jacqueline] Nite, Glenda!
23:03:25 [RobinOwens] I enjoyed it. I really need to put a pronunciation page up, but I don’t care…
23:03:29 [Moe] Hope to see you all next Wednesday
23:03:40 [BettyD] sorry I missed so much
23:03:44 [Moe] oops
23:03:50 [Moe] I mean the wednesday after that
23:03:54 [Moe] next week is a holiday
23:03:54 [Jacqueline] There will be no chat next week due to the holiday. Check out WM’s new look!
23:04:00 [Delyn] Great chat, and great job, Jacqueline.
23:04:03 [sylkzeri] ttfn
23:04:07 [Delyn] and Moe, too!
23:04:19 [Moe]
23:04:21 [RobinOwens] Well, Heart Duel is due in two weeks…so I guess I won’t see you for a bit…then I’m off to Baltimore and NY
23:04:22 [Jacqueline] Thanks, Delyn
23:04:24 [JessB] Thanks Jacki (for the invite and good job )
23:04:25 sylkzeri exits from this room
23:04:33 [RobinOwens] Thanks for coming Sylkzeri
23:04:42 [RobinOwens] Wow, what a handle.
23:04:43 [Jacqueline] You’
23:04:59 [Jacqueline] I’m glad I drug you away from writing, Jess
23:05:23 [Jacqueline] Robin, thanks so much for taking the time away from revisions.
23:05:24 [JessB] hehehe, I needed it…ready to bang my head on the desk gg
23:05:24 [RobinOwens] Jess, are you back with RWU?
23:05:32 [JessB] yup
23:05:38 [RobinOwens] Cat fight.
23:05:39 [Delyn] Night Everyone.
23:05:47 [RobinOwens] Great.
23:05:55 [RobinOwens] Good night Delyn.
23:05:58 [Jacqueline] Nite, Delyn! Thanks for coming!
23:06:03 [JessB] I needed some kicks in the bum to get me moving…havent’ gotten them yet gggg
23:06:05 [Moe] Night Delyn
23:06:07 Delyn exits from this room
23:06:25 [RobinOwens] Thanks for the emails…Mistral going to see who fought…Muse missed dinner tonight…
23:06:46 [Jacqueline] Are the kids letting you write, Jess?
23:07:14 [RobinOwens] Well, back to checking all the “was” in my ms.
23:07:27 [RobinOwens] Love to all!
23:07:28 [JessB] yeah they do—the older ones are good but the baby doesn’t get it and wants to *help*
23:07:44 [Jacqueline] Nite Robin, Hugs!
23:07:48 [Moe] Thanks Robin