Q&A with Sheila Roberts

  

Photo by Robert Rabe

 

 

Sheila Roberts is the author of the new novel Love on the Shelf. Her many other books include Christmas on Candy Cane Lane. She lives in the Pacific Northwest. 

 

Q: What inspired you to write Love on the Shelf, and how did you create your characters Alice and Parker?

A: I kept looking at the disconnect between men and women in our culture and thinking, something’s wrong here. I wanted to address it. My hero, Parker Black, summed up what I was seeing a lot on social media by asking his male followers, “Are we all cheaters and beaters?”

 

For a while there it seemed like male bashing was the favorite sport of every woman on social who’d had a failed relationship. It seems so many women have reached a point where they figure they don’t need men and they are fine on their own.

 

But I happen to think we need each other and that there are still a lot of good men out there. And I also think romance novels that give us hope and encouragement or simply give us a moment of escape from the chaos of life need a little more respect.

 

Romance novels claim 23 percent of all the books sold in the U.S. and are the highest earning genre. While reading for fun is down alarmingly, we romance readers are keeping literacy alive. Now, that’s something to be happy about. I thought that was a good message to get out there.

 

So, I created Parker the skeptic, who feels like women are not appreciating men and reading those unrealistic romance novels isn’t helpful. Then I brought in shy Alice Willoughby who owns a romance bookstore with her mother. Parker needs educating and somehow Alice turns out to be the one who has to do it.

 

Q: How would you describe the dynamic between the two?

A: They definitely begin as adversaries, but I had fun bringing Alice along and helping her become bold about going after what she wanted in life. Which, wouldn’t you know, turned out to be Parker.

 

His determination to stay on his soapbox definitely did battle with his attraction to Alice. And what started as a simple on-air debate evolved into a cultural war that landed him smack in the middle of a romance bookstore. That was great fun to write.

 

Q: Did you need to do any research to write the novel, and if so, did you learn anything especially surprising?

 

A: Happily, my friend Suzanne Selfors, who owns Liberty Bay Books in Poulsbo, was able to share a few tidbits about the business so I could be sure to make my imaginary bookstore feel real.

 

I appreciate her taking time to talk with me as her life is busy these days. I’ve seen firsthand how much work it is to run a bookstore and I really appreciate those dedicated book lovers who have been bold enough to turn their passion into a business.

Q: Can you say more about what you think the story says about the importance of romance novels in readers’ lives?

A: We need encouragement and inspiration. We need escape. We need to be reminded that love always wins. I think romance novels do that for us.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I am excited to be working on plans to promote my upcoming Christmas novel, Have Yourself a Merry Little Meltdown, about a woman who has written a holiday novel and based it on her wild and crazy family.

 

Now, she is wishing she hadn’t and trying to figure out how to keep what she’s done a secret. If it gets out she’d better be careful who she accepts Christmas cookies from.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

A: I am active on social media and hope people will join me on my two favorite platforms: Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/p/Sheila-Roberts-100044180452595/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sheilarobertswriter/). 

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Sheila Roberts.