What an amazing event near Galway in Ireland at the Lodge at Ashford Castle, with a bookseller, representation from the publishers, a happy and exclusive atmosphere, and so much excitement.
OMG OMG OMG OMG FLAILS – I MET NORA ROBERTS!
Way back I read the McGregor series in Silhouette Romance. It was a series of books that were based around a huge sprawling family, each sibling finding love, close family relationships, and a happy ever after each time. That is when I fell in love with Nora Roberts' storytelling. Then she wrote my favorite series of hers – Chesapeake – and I fell in love all over again. With a focus on the male protagonists, this was a family found series, a husband and wife who took in three boys who'd had bad lives. The three are brought together with the arrival of a fourth, Seth, and they find love, forge family ties, and eventually, Seth got his own book. More on that later.
Meanwhile, not only was I in the presence of Nora fricking Roberts, but as she spoke I realized there are similarities in the way we approach writing, and when chatting to VL Locey, we both realized that yes, the two of us write with a similar prolific focus.
Nora is a pantser – in the sense that she does not plot extensively.
She writes seven days a week with a strict schedule – she thanks the nuns that taught her when she was younger, for teaching her that once you start a project you finish. She is also prolific. I wanted to ask her how many words she wrote a day, but the other question I had below was more important. Actually, I had a million questions to ask her!
She says *you can't edit a blank page, so write anything, even if you think it is bad, and come back to edit it later*
She feels blessed and lucky that she is able to write stories, and that the stories are just there all the time. In a sense, they fall out of her onto the paper. She is never short of ideas.
She's not that fond of her leaving her house to see people and would rather sit in her office and write. The view from her office is of trees as her house is on a hill in a forest.
She always works on one book at a time.
She loves Stephen King (who I know has a similar writing process and who loves Nora right back!)
She suffers from imposter syndrome, she didn't use those exact words but she says that she feels lucky to ‘get away' with what she does. I had to laugh at that because it made me having imposter syndrome feel more acceptable!
The question I asked her: I asked her if she always intended writing Seth's story, or was it written due to reader pressure, or just that she felt the story. She answered that she'd never intended to write Seth's story at first, because he was only 11 in the books, and we all laughed at that. Then she said that writing it was due to a combination of everything. Readers wanted a happy ending for Seth, and also it just felt right and that a few years had passed.
I was talking to Nora Roberts! I might have got super emotional. LOL.
When we went for the signing I had bought the Chesapeake series, and she signed all four books without hesitation. They now have pride of place on my shelf and are the only non-RJ books that are on there. I got to hug her, and I'd written her a card thanking her for the fact that she inspired me, but I told her as well. I said I'd reached 48 overall in the entirety of US Amazon, that I'd broken the top 100 of all authors, that I'd published over 150 stories, that I was a USA bestseller, that I had a career I loved, and I told her that it was her inspiration that started me writing. She implied I shouldn't thank her, then said that it was my hard work. I <3 her for saying that, but really, without reading her books I wouldn't be here thinking I could even begin to write stories. 🙂
I'm sure I've missed loads of things out of here and I'll probably have to come back to add more!
It was the most amazing experience.
How wonderful!!!
Thank goodness for her or we would have no you in our lives , telling us such amazing stories.
I <3 you for saying that 🙂 xxx
How thrilling that you got to meet the great Nora Roberts! My absolute favorite books of hers are the “Born In Fire, Born In Ice, and Born In Shame” series.
So true. It was an amazing day during which I got to spend time with one of my idols in a most fabulous setting. I’m still buzzing and don’t think that will stop any time soon. Perfect event was well and truly perfect.
Perfectly perfect <3
Nora may have been your inspiration but you’ve done all the work and we are grateful for you Rj. Thx always for entertaining us fans. ?
Thank you so much Kendra, we’ve seen a lot over the last few years haven’t we!
X
Yes lots of great books. Authors I’d love to meet from the M/M community: Rj Scott, Jordan L. Hawk, Rhys Ford and Mary Calmes. From M/F community: Nora Roberts, Sherrilyn Kenyon and JR Ward.?
I am so thankful Nora Roberts inspired you to write RJ because your worlds make me very happy.
Thank you so much for your kind words. HUGS XXXX
I got to meet the Goddess at an RWA con several years ago., OMG. And I got to me you and Amber at my first GRL, OMG! I’m sure the squeals are still reverberating out in space somewhere.
meet
I would love to meet you and V.L. Locey. I have read almost everything you two have written. I love all of the stories but the Harrisburg Railers are special because I’m from Harrisburg Pa!
That would be amazing. Who would not want to meet her! I coudnt pick just one author I would want to meet. I have so many. Laurell K Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Patricia Biggs and Ann Rice for getting me into writing paranormal and loving to read it.
Then there are T.M. Smith, You, V.L. Locey, and so many in the MM Writing world. I just need to get to a convention LOL.
I was lucky enough to meet one of my favorite authors last year. The other author I’d like to meet is Jordan L. Hawk since I’m a huge fan of fantasy. It was fun to see your picture since I’ve not met you. I’m glad Nora Roberts inspired you to write!
OMG!!! She’s one of my favorites as well. I eagerly await each new offering.
So glad you got to meet your inspiration! I love your books, and would love to meet you sometime, and also JR Ward. I have been to a book release/signing by Laurell K Hamilton, But was too introverted to actually go meet her. I would like to though. ❤️
I would love to meet Nora Roberts!!!
I have met most of the authors I read thankfully a authors on the west coast of the US had book signing events on the east coast of the US – a few thanks to Nora Roberts book store. Now I’m down to 1 author that I have been wanting to meet FOREVER – Jodi Thomas – planning a trip to Texas waiting for a list of her signing events and hoping they will match up with my travel dates for Dallas Stars games I’m attending so I can really make my trip to Texas awesome!
YOU! I really, really want to meet YOU! Provided it doesn’t cut into your writing time, because please, I would be an unhappy bunny without your books.
I think I’d have the same reaction to meeting Nora Roberts – her books were the first romances I wasn’t bothered about people seeing me read as a teenager! Other than you of course 🙂 at the moment though it would be a toss us Val McDermid and E.M.Lindsey!
I’d love to meet Diana Palmer she was the first author I read when I found some old romance novels and I’ve collected her books ever since.
I met my favorite author, J.R. Ward, a few times now and she has always been friendly and gracious.
Amazing that you got to meet Nora!
I think I bought every book Nora Roberts wrote and have replaced almost all with ebooks. The McGregor’s were always my favorites. I am starting to get the audiobooks. I would like to meet Mary Calmes, Charlie Cochet, Nora Roberts, and you.
Danielle Steel has been my most favorite author since I read her book The Ring, decades ago when I was still young and believed in all things HEA in life, not just in books. Now that I’m a crotchety old gal I still turn to my books where I know I can always find my HEAs.
If I ever met DS in real life I just might scream, cry, and pee my pants. Heehee… Long live the Romance Authors! As long as you guys keep writing, I’ll keep reading. ?
Nora Roberts would be fun to meet too, but I would love to meet Carolyn Brown, I have been reading her books a long time!!
That’s truly exciting, I’ve enjoyed more than a few of her books.
If I could meet any author, living or dead, itvwould be Agatha Christie or Shirley Jackson.
If they need to be still with us, Mercedes Lackey would be my choice. Her Vanyel Ashkevron books helped me so damn much.
i would love to meet Sloane kennedy , ae via and Nicole Edwards to name a few
I would like to meet Charlie Cochet, I like her writing style. I would also like to meet RJ Scott or V. l. locey the person who writes Stan from the Harrisburg Railers series, got to love Stan.
So happy for you. I haven’t really been interested in m/f romances since I discovered m/m but back in the day she was definitely one of my favourite. Just think RJ, there are probably some authors and fans that are as excited to meet you. You may not think it but you name in the m/m genre is at the top for a lot of people
*hides* thank you for saying that… HUGS XXX
She is the one author I would LOVE to meet one day besides Yasmine Galenorn. Both authors are fabulous writers and they seem so down to earth.
Love the blog post, RJ. 🙂
I would love to meet Harper Fox, Kaje Harper or Amy Lane, because their books move me so much! <3
She used to be my favorite author also when I was into mysteries. Now days I’m into more romance of the steamy sort : – P
I have so many favorites now…of course RJ Scott is one 😉
How fantastic that you got to meet someone who means so much to you! I love Nora’s (and J.D. Robb) books too ?
I would love to meet RJ Scott, Charlie Cochet and Sloane Kennedy.
I agree with Nora. You did all the hard work yourself. Yes, I think I have some Nora stuff in a paperbox in the storage area.
How awesome for you to meet her! I would love to meet Samantha Chase or Jade C Jamison, oh who am I kidding, the list is endless!
I might be a little jealous….
Also, if I manage to get the weekend off and make it to Rome, don’t mind me fangirling all over you!
I hope you make it – would love to meet you 🙂 RJ X
I’d love to meet AM Arthur, Rick Riordan and/or Leta Blake. They’ve written so many of my favorite books!
I’m a complete introvert so I’m not sure I would actually want to meet anyone in person, but if I did, for M/F it would be Nalini Singh & M/M is Lisa Oliver.
Nora is amazing but I would love to meet either David Eddings or Mercedes Lackey; my best friend introduced me to both of them in high school and I’ve been in love with their works ever since.
I’m so happy for you! I absolutely love her In Death series. I would love to meet Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlie Cochet, Devon Vesper, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., and Jim Butcher.
It must’ve been so amazing to meet your idol. I have a whole list of authors I would love to meet. Megan Derr, Patricia Briggs, Janet Evanovich, Rj Scott of course, and Shaw Montgomery just to name a few.
I’d love to meet Rhys Ford, Lisa Oliver, Angel Martinez, M. A. Church, Lexi Ander, Jordan L. Hawk, Jordan Castillo Price, N. R. Walker and Harper Fox.
Wow, your excitement at meetng Nora just comes through! I’d be a puddle on the floor! My favourite series is the Circle Trilogy and I do like Blue Smoke in her singles.
After yourself of course!, Harper Fox, Nora!!
That must have been amazing. I’d love to meet Sloane Kennedy.
What a wonderful experience for you. I am really happy for you and envious.
I want to meet Lane Hayes, Michele Notaro and Nora Phoenix. They all seem so lovely online.
Honestly there’s so many authors I’d love to meet. You’re among them! Nora Sakavic, Jex Lane, Madeline Miller…
I’d have loved to of gotten to meet Robert Westall. And I have had the pleasure of meeting Mary Robinette Kowal and Brian Jacques! I get to mee quite a few people off my extended list at the upcoming GRL so that’s amazing!
I would love to meet AE Via, SE Jakes, Morticia Knight, and Abi Roux.
I would love to meet Marie Sexton, L.M. Somerton, and Lexi Blake! I think it’s awesome you got to meet her!
I’d love to meet Hailey Turner, Sheena Himes and Charlie Cochet
Meeting the people we admire and give us inspiration is always so much fun and even awe inspiring. I’m blessed to live in the same city where I have a chance to be close to a bunch of great Brazilian authors and I wish I could be friends with all of them. I do miss however having any kind of contact with foreign writers (must be the reason why I poke at them on twitter), nevermind having signed paperback editions (importated books cost a small fortune here)!
I’m very happy for you the experience must have truly thrilling!!
Hugs from Brazil!
As a bookseller I’ve gotten to meet lots of authors, lucky me! I’d like to meet Lois McMaster Bujold, who writes such interesting speculative fiction.
Congrats! You’re so lucky. My sisters are also her fans having bought a lot of her books since their teen years. I actually never gave thought to who I would like to meet. I’m not really a people person and the idea of walking up to an author I really love kind of makes me panic.
It sounds wonderful. I wish I could’ve met Jane Austen. I would like to meet Patricia Briggs.
I would have sworn that I already commented on this post when it first went up. 🙂 I’m so glad that you got to meet someone that means so much to you. I’m not saying this to “kiss up” to you – but you are the author I would most like to meet. I met several of my favorites at the RWA book signing in Orlando a couple of years ago. I’ve also been to a few book cons/signings here in Florida where I met some amazing authors. But, I still want to meet you so bad. I thought I might make it to Toronto when you’re there next month but it’s not going to be possible. So fingers crossed that it will happen one of these days.
Also – here’s wishing my birthday twin a very happy day on your special day tomorrow.
Awww, thank you hun, i would love to meet you too… and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWIN! XXXXXXX
I love her books too. The McGregor series is my favorite. As for an author I would love to meet it would be Aimee Nicole Walker. I’ve already meet some pretty awesome ones at GRL .
Francine Pascal is an author I would love to meet. She is the first series I remember being crazy about in elementary school (Sweet Valley Twins, and later High)
I read so many of her books…one of my favorite authors! For some reason I especially connected with the characters in ‘Northern Lights.’
I’m so glad you got to meet her. The photo says it all!
Which author(s) would I like to meet…and pick their brains?
Pandora Pine, Lora Leigh, Ann Lister, Anyta Sunday, J.P. Oliver, Eli Easton, Jerry Cole, E. Davies, L.A. Witt, Riley Hart, Sloane Kennedy, Aimee Nicole Walker, N.R. Walker, Christina Lee, K.M. Neuhold, J.J. Harper, Cate Ashwood, Robert Winter and Victoria Sue.
As you can tell…I read a lot and post reviews on the books I read. My small contribution at acknowledging the skill and effort that goes into each book.
I’ve definitely immersed myself in a particular genre recently!
I’m so happy that you got to meet her, that’s so exciting! I have alot of authors that I would love to meet but my top two are Lisa Oliver and Pandora Pine.
I was so excited when I got to meet Sandrine Gasq-DIon a few year ago at the Tucson Festival of Books. It was so exciting. I got to have our picture taken and got a signed book. I like Nora Roberts all though if I fan girl for her it is her JD Robb series that I love so very much. Tomorrow I will be picking up her new Eve Dallas when it comes out.
I’m so happy you got to meet someone who inspired you!
I would like to meet J.R. Ward, not only because of her books, bug also because I’ve heard she’s such an awsome person.
I’m so thrilled for you getting to meet and talk with Nora Roberts. I love most of her series, the Three Sisters Island series is probably my favorite series and Witness and Obsession are my favorite stand alones by her.
I would love to meet RJ Scott, AE Via, VL Locey, Mary Higgins Clark and Patricia Cornwell.
My most favorite authors are: Andrew Grey, Sean Michaels, Robin Carr, SE Jakes, Dee Henderson, Jayne Ann Krentz, Irene Hannon and Stephenie Meyers.
My favorite authors and the authors I would love to meet all have one thing in common, they pull me in as a reader and I get totally lost into the story. When the outside world ceases to exist and I can’t put the book down then the author has done their job exceptionally well. That is a great author. And it’s not just one book but book after book after book that pulls me in so completely that makes them a favorite author.
Thank you for doing that for me. Your hard work makes my reading so enjoyable and something to look forward to. I look forward to meeting you someday and acting like a fangirl, too. Go fangirls!
I love that “You Can’t Edit an Empty Page.” I’d love to meet Mary Calmes. She’s my goto comfort/laugh out loud read.