Sue Grimshaw interviews Nora Roberts on Borders True Romance

Sue Grimshaw, romance book buyer for the Borders bookstore chain, recently interviewed Nora Roberts on Borders True Romance, a Borders video series. Included in the  topics discussed by Roberts and Grimshaw is Bed of Roses, Robert's second novel in the Bride Quartet, which is being released today, October 27, 2009. Readers may view the interview by clicking on this link.

Borders website features Sue Grimshaw's interview with Nora Roberts.
(Screenshot taken 10-17-1009 by Carol Thomas)

Highlights of the interview include Roberts' view of how her writing has changed over time, her explanation of the origin of the Bride Quartet, her description of the J.D. Robb In Death novels and her plans for the continuation of that series. She also discusses her favorite authors and her personal reaction to her characters.

To Grimshaw's question about how her writing has changed since her first publication, Roberts quickly responds, "I hope certainly that I've gotten better." She points out that the writing process itself gets more difficult over time since writers must struggle more not to repeat themselves and to keep their output fresh.

Grimshaw, who had read an early release copy of Bed of Roses, the second title in Roberts' new Bride Quartet, asks Roberts how she became interested in the wedding planning business, the occupation of the four women featured in the Bride Quartet. Roberts reveals that her involvement in her son's recent wedding piqued her curiosity. She saw in the topic a chance to combine drama and comedy – the comedy coming from the typically "crazed brides or mothers of the brides or mothers of the grooms."

Roberts mentions two upcoming releases in her J.D. Robb In Death series – Kindred in Death, due out November 3, and "Missing in Death," a novella to appear in The Lost anthology, which will be released November 24. Roberts agrees that the In Death novels are "edgier stories'' than her romance titles, describing central characters Eve Dallas and her husband Roarke as "sort of the dark side of Nick and Nora Charles maybe."

Roberts also confirms that she has no plans to stop writing the popular series. "I have no endgame," she says. "I love writing them."

Roberts has an impressive list of writers whose works she herself enjoys. In response to Grimshaw's request to name them, she quickly lists Robert B. Parker, Michael Connelly, Terry Pratchett, John Sandford, Stephen King, Dennis Lehane, Sue Grafton, Elizabeth Berg and the three authors who joined with her in writing The Lost – Patricia Gaffney, Mary Blayney and Ruth Ryan Langan. Roberts singles out historical romance author Deanna Raybourne for particular praise.

Continuing with the topic of favorites, Grimshaw asks Roberts if she has any particular characters among the many she has created of whom she is especially fond. Roberts replies that she is most interested in the characters in whatever novel she is currently writing. "You have to put your emotional commitment into the one you're writing now," she explains.

Roberts has received many awards for her writing throughout her long career. In 2008 Borders added to these by presenting her with the Borders Award for the Bestselling Contemporary Romance, which she received her novel Tribute.