Interview with Robin Jones Gunn & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted Word

 

ROBIN JONES GUNN is the much loved author of over 85 books. With nearly 5 million copies of her titles sold worldwide, her popular Christy Miller series now continues in Christy & Todd: The Married Years. Her novels and non–fiction works have received multiple awards and are a favorite with book clubs and study groups. Robin and her husband have a grown son and daughter and live in Hawaii. For more info, visit her at www.robingunn.com

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Savanna:  Welcome to The Engrafted Word, Robin. I’m SO excited to have you here! I’ve read your Christy Miller series more than once and loved it each time through. I was so excited when I heard you were writing “The Married Years”. What was the easiest part for you returning to Christy and Todd’s story and what was the hardest part about it?

Interview with Robin Jones Gunn & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted WordRobin:  The easiest part was “hearing” the characters’ voices in my head. They really do feel like old friends to me as I write.

I found that the most difficult thing was to not bring in too many characters in one book. Over the years Christy and Todd have made lots of friends. I want to write about all of them and find out what happens with them. But it doesn’t work to have too many on the stage at one time so I’ve had to learn how to make sure each one of the forever friends waits until it’s their turn to show up.

Savanna:  Authors are often asked which of their books is their personal favorite. I imagine that’s pretty hard to do with over 80 books written. 🙂 What about a favorite scene from your latest book? Without giving away too many secrets, can you tell us a little bit about it and why it stood out to you?

Robin:  I actually think the first Christy Miller book, “Summer Promise” was my personal favorite because it took two years to write and that’s when I first got to know Christy and the other characters.

As for a favorite scene from my latest book, I’d have to say that one of them is when Christy and Katie are together in Kenya and they go to the tea fields of Limuru. I’ve been there and it’s like no place I’ve ever been before. I loved writing about how much Christy fell in love with one of Katie’s favorite places. The breakfast scene that follows was a great connecting time for the two couples and I liked how that felt. It was as if their friendships were stepping into the next season.

Interview with Robin Jones Gunn & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted WordSavanna:  Aww, I can’t wait to read your latest book and catch up with the characters. They feel like old friends to me too! 🙂

I love the life verse you share on your website. Do you have a favorite quote?

Robin:  I have several. One is by C. S. Lewis (of course! Everyone has a favorite C.S. Lewis quote).
“You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.”

I always want to add to that, “You are never too young, either.”

Savanna:  Love that! You travel all over for speaking engagements. Can you tell us one of your favorite places to visit and a favorite topic you teach on?

Robin:  I love to teach on women in the Bible. I also like to tell my story of how I ended up becoming a writer. I captured both these topics in my book, “Victim of Grace”.

Interview with Robin Jones Gunn & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted WordI used to always say that my favorite place to visit is Hawaii, but I live here now! So I guess a few of my other favorite places in God’s beautiful world are Colorado because that’s where my son and his wife and their baby boy live. I also love Venice. And England. I love England. Oh, and New Zealand is astonishing. I pretty much love every place on this spinning planet that God made.

Savanna:  🙂 Since you mentioned living in Hawaii, tell us what is one of your favorite sights to see there?

Robin:  Our daughter and her husband moved here almost two years ago. Whenever I see their car pull into our driveway I am one happy mama.

As for the beauty, I love all of it. The sunsets, the brown sugar sand, the aqua blue water, the shaggy palm trees. This island is definitely the home of my heart.

Savanna:  Can you share with us a word of writing advice that made a difference in your career?

Interview with Robin Jones Gunn & GIVEAWAY  | The Engrafted WordRobin:  Learn who has earned the right to give their opinions on your writing and pay close attention to what they have to say. It was too early at the beginning to listen to what everyone had to say about everything I wrote. That quickly becomes an emotional roller coaster and you doubt what you felt in your heart when you started writing. I’ve narrowed the circle of people who have earned the right to give advice and all the other opinions carry a much lighter weight in my mind and emotions. Everyone has an opinion. They have the option of sharing whatever they think or feel. But I don’t have to give equal weight to every single opinion. I only hold on to the ones that matter.

 

Savanna:  Wise advice, thank you.  Is there anything else you’d like to add? Any upcoming projects you can share with us?

Robin:  I’m working on the third book in the Christy & Todd: The Married Years series. It’s titled “One More Wish” and it will release in the summer, 2015.

Savanna: Yay! Can’t wait. 😉 I’m so honored to have you stop by my blog, Robin. Thanks for taking the time to share with us today.

Robin:  Thank you, Savanna, for the invitation to do this. I pray that the Lord will bless the work of your hands.

GIVEAWAY!!

Robin has graciously offered to give away a copy of Forever With You, book one in the Christy & Todd: The Married Years Series to one lucky winner. Enter below and it could be YOU! 😉

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering! Contest is open only in the U.S. and ends May 19, 2015.  The winner will be notified by email. Happy Reading, everybody!