Interview with Robin Lee Hatcher & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordRobin Lee Hatcher is the best-selling author of over seventy books. Her well-drawn characters and heartwarming stories of faith, courage, and love have earned her both critical acclaim and the devotion of readers. Her numerous awards include the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA® Award for Best Inspirational Romance, Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards for Americana Romance and for Inspirational Fiction, the Carol Award, the 2011 Idahope Writer of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Awards from both Romance Writers of American (2001) and American Christian Fiction Writers (2014). Catching Katie was named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.

Robin began her writing career in the general market, writing mass market romances for Leisure Books, HarperPaperbacks, Avon Books, and Silhouette. In 1997, after several years of heart preparation, Robin accepted God’s call to write stories of faith and hasn’t looked back since. She has written both contemporary and historical women’s fiction and romance for CBA publishers (Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Revell, Steeple Hill, Tyndale House, Multnomah, and WaterBrook).

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. Robin and her husband make their home on the outskirts of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon, and Princess Pinky, the DC (demon cat).

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Savanna:  Congratulations on today’s new release, Love Without End.  I’m so excited to welcome you to The Engrafted Word, Robin.

What was your favorite part about getting to know – and write – Chet and Kimberly’s characters? Did they surprise you or teach you an important lesson along the way?

Interview with Robin Lee Hatcher & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordRobin: Thanks so much, Savanna. Love Without End is in stores now, and I’m already hearing from readers which is a delight.

I fell in love with Chet Leonard in my women’s contemporary fiction release, A Promise Kept. He suffered a great loss in that book, but he definitely didn’t get the girl. I really felt I “owed” him a chance at his own happiness. Chet’s roots go down very deep in Kings Meadow, so it seemed quite natural to introduce a heroine who doesn’t intend to stay there one moment longer than she has to. That’s Kimberly.

My characters always become very real people in my mind and heart, so I often feel more like I simply watch them rather than create them. Sometimes characters do surprise me, but with these two, it wasn’t so much a surprise as it was the simple pleasure of watching two wounded people learn to love again. I took great joy in watching that happen.

Savanna:  Sounds like a beautiful story.  You’ve won multiple writing awards throughout your career. What has been one of the greatest lessons and fondest memories from participating in these contests?

Interview with Robin Lee Hatcher & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordRobin: The fondest memory for me was when my second novel for the Christian market (I wrote 30 books for the general mass market before I began writing stories of faith) was named a finalist and then won the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction. I had recently gone through a time where I was burned out and struggling, and I was afraid that I was a complete failure as a writer. All those negative things the enemy likes to whisper in our ears. Winning the Christy Award was like God saying, “You didn’t hear wrong. This is where I want you. Keep on being faithful.”

As for a lesson, it is a mistake for any writer to make awards their goal. If they come, we can be grateful. If they don’t, that needs to be okay, too. But I do think God uses them at times, as He did with me, to offer encouragement.

Savanna:  Thanks for sharing that, Robin.  It’s wonderful to hear how God strengthened you to keep on writing.

If you had to give a tour of your home state of Idaho, what would be your first stop and why?

Interview with Robin Lee Hatcher & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordRobin:  Oh my. What a tough question. I love so many things and places about Idaho. But I guess my first stop would be Redfish Lake at the foot of the incredible Sawtooth Mountains. That glacier-fed lake is crystal clear all the way to the bottom. And icy, icy cold even in the hottest part of summer. Half of the lake is in the wilderness area, and you can see Big Horn Sheep on the sides of the mountains, not to mention lots of other wildlife.

Savanna:  I’d love to see that! 😉 What’s been one of your favorite books you’ve read so far this year?

Robin:  Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken. That true story is simply riveting. The movie releases on Christmas Day, and my husband and I will be at the theater for the first showing.

Savanna:  Since you are a romantic-at-heart like the rest of us, what is your favorite romantic movie and favorite romantic book?

Interview with Robin Lee Hatcher & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordRobin: There is no way I can have just one favorite romantic movie. Given enough time, I would probably come up with a list of 20 or 30 or 40 favorite movies, all loved the same amount but perhaps for different reasons. So as long as you understand it comes with that caveat, I’ll pick RETURN TO ME. Or maybe SENSE & SENSIBILITIES. Or perhaps I should pick … (see what I mean?)

I’ve loved many romantic novels as well, but the one true standout has to be REDEEMING LOVE by Francine Rivers. I would go so far as to list it as one of the top ten best romantic novels ever written.

Savanna:   Yeah, it’s hard to pick just one. 😉 I agree about Redeeming Love.  It’s one I’ll never forget. 

Is there anything else you’d like to add? Any upcoming projects you can share with us?

Robin:  I fell in love with Kings Meadow when I wrote A Promise Kept, and so it has been a real delight to return there for three more novels and one novella (in the Year of Weddings novella series). I’ve loved being able to write about contemporary cowboys in the mountains of Idaho.

Readers can see covers on my web site at www.robinleehatcher.com. It’s a little too early for the cover of the planned final book in the Kings Meadow Romance series (which will release in early 2016), but the rest are there.

Interview with Robin Lee Hatcher & GIVEAWAY | The Engrafted WordBOOKS SET IN KINGS MEADOW

A Promise Kept (Jan 2014)
a stand-alone contemporary fiction

Love Without End (Nov 2014)
Kings Meadow Romance #1

Whenever You Come Around (May 2015)
Kings Meadow Romance #2

I Hope You Dance (July 2015)
a Year of Weddings novella for July

I hope readers will sign up for my newsletter. Those who do will receive a free copy of my short story, The Huckleberry Patch. You can find the sign up form on every page of my web site.

Savanna:  That sounds great, Robin.  Thank you so much for joining us today.  I can’t wait to read your next stories. 

Readers, be sure to connect with Robin on her website: www.robinleehatcher.com

GIVEAWAY!!

Robin has graciously offered a copy of Love Without End to one lucky reader! Enter below and it could be YOU! 😉
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thanks for entering!  The winner will be notified by email. Happy Reading, everybody! 😉