Robin Shope's Valentine Edition Spotlight!

I love it when we have characters come to visit with us. Robin Shope creates some of the most interesting women characters I have read lately. Her newest heroine Jody in Valentine Edition. A few months ago I spotlighted her first Turtle Creek novel Christmas Edition.


Both of these books are stand alone but it is fun to be reunited with characters from past novels. I read Valentine Edition first as a PDF which I rarely do but I fell in love with the characters and the story and continued to stare at the computer screen until I was finished reading it. I loved it more than the first.

If you want to win a copy details are at the bottom of this post.






Read my interview with Robin here.
Lets take a little time to get to meet Jody and learn a little more about who she is.





Jody, tell us a little about yourself. I am a city girl through and through. Give me green latte's at Starbucks and I will be your best friend. My life has been, well, complicated. Sometimes easy but not always happy. Maybe my life has been a lot like yours. First off, my dad left my mom and I. Nothing new to happen these days. It was awful just the same. I don’t think I ever got over that broken trust. It has colored all of my relationships.


My mom remarried when I was a teen. He's nice enough. We're just strangers. My step dad doesn’t get me. Okay, enough sad stuff. I love to meet new people and I am adventuresome. Maybe that is what made me apply for the job at The Turtle Creek Newspaper in Wisconsin. Once I actually got out into the country, I wanted to head back to the city. Maybe I would have if it hadn't been for that pitiful dog in the road I had to rescue.



What is the craziest thing you have ever done? The craziest thing I ever did took place in college. Lizzie and I sat up late eating popcorn and watching a documentary on how the Rocky Mountains were formed. Spring break started the very next day.


Lizzie and I looked at one another and just like that we packed the car and headed west on the spur of the moment. We slept at a youth hostel in Greeley, met a lot of fun people and took lots of pictures.


If Robin were to describe you what would she say? She'd say I was reflective, fun and creative. But it's hard for me to say no. and at times, it's hard to express my true feelings. Growing up, my mother always warned me never to hurt anyone's feelings, put myself last. That advice has made me stumble. Even though I would never dream of hurting anyone, if someone is doing something that isn't right, I have the tendency to back away instead of standing up against it.

Path of least resistance is not always a good road to take. We only have one life and it's important to live it purely. And we need to know our limitations. Sometimes we have to say no. Oh boy, I feel like I am rambling a bit. Sorry.




What do you wish Robin had done differently for you? It's hard to grow and to change. Robin forced that on me. I also wish I had known what Della was up to -- what her plans for getting rid of me were. It's hard to believe someone would be so diabolical. Evil. I don’t like conflict and I sure had my share of it in the book, but it taught me forgiveness.



What do like best about Turtle Creek, Wisconsin? Josh! I am still trying to get used to the quiet, the philosophy that things can be done tomorrow rather than today, the laid back lifestyle. I am sure people live longer because of it, but I want things taken care of yesterday. So I like Josh the best about Turtle Creek. He has taught me a lot about patience and what love really is.

Who was the biggest influence in your life? My dad had the greatest influence in my life. I thought we had this special connection that was unstoppable, unbeatable. When I looked into his face, I could see the love there that he had for me. I trusted him. I felt protected. One day all that went away and never came back.


Could you please describe in your own words the good Dr. Josh Thomas? Josh is handsome, tall, smart, articulate, strong, kind, tender, filled with faith and honest. I still do worry at times, that there is another side to him that will surface at the worst possible , moment. I mean, is love really forever? I guess that is where faith and trust comes. Josh is the kind of guy every girl dreams of marrying. He listens. Watches. Cares about my feelings and does his best to give me happy surprises.


What is the most difficult thing you faced coming to Turtle Creek? The hardest thing is lack of technology at the newspaper. It really hampers what we could do and create. It's like we are in this time warp. And everyone seems oblivious to the possibilities that comes with being updated.
It's also hard living in an apartment where I can't use my cell and there's no internet connection - not even dial up. Being in the news business, it's important to keep stride. Turtle Creek is almost like that movie, Brigadoon, everyone is old fashioned and happy to be so.


What would you have wanted your author to have done differently in the novel? It would have been nice to experience my wedding day. I still wonder what my dress is like and what kind of flowers I pick to carry in my bouquet. However, my author is working on The Easter Edition and it should be out spring 2010. I happen to have inside information that some of my questions will be answered. But the book isn't about me, although I am in it.


Any good tidbits about your author you feel led to share? My author, Robin Shope, is currently finishing up a murder mystery that takes place in Chicago. Talk about issues, those people have them. Robin Shope also has started two other romance books. One takes place in Freedom, Wisconsin…and the other takes place in Verona, Texas. However, her book, Wildcard, will be out this spring, late April 2009. That is a wonderful mystery with plenty of romance to keep everyone satisfied.


So tell us, what do you see for your future in say, five years? Josh and I will be married. The question is, how many children will we have by then. How many horses will there be in the stable, how many inches of snow will have fallen in Turtle Creek, and how many times will I have slid off the icy road? I also plan on bringing the newspaper into this century with all the modern technology it needs. Josh and I are active in our church and we are working on building a youth group. And new people come daily to town. Some need to be kept an eye on. Like that new assistant pastor.


What do you do to unwind and relax? Josh and I go fishing.


If you would like to win a copy of Robin's newest book and learn even more about Jody and her life in Turtle Creek please leave a comment with an email addy so I can contact you if you win. As always you can earn extra entries. I changed it up a bit for this drawing so be sure to check out the other ways to earn extra entries.

Daily Question: Well, since this book is all about Valentine tell me either your worst or best Valentine experience.

Please leave a seperate comment for each entry.

1 extra entry- visit Robin's site here and tell me one interesting thing you saw on her site you can even leave her a comment letting her know she had a visitor.

1 extra entry-send a friend to Write by Faith. Make sure they tell me who sent them.

1 extra entry-Be a subscriber to this blog

1 extra entry- follow me! or twitter me "writebyfaith"