Interview With an Author: Magnolia Robbins

Hey Bookworms! 

I got the chance to interview my favourite LesFic author! Isn't that amazing? I had so much fun talking to her! Before sharing the interview, let me introduce her to you!

Magnolia Robbins is a thirty-something west coast transplant in the United States. When she's not writing, which is most of the time, she enjoys working with Veterans who have hearing loss, playing with her Siberian cat, spending time with her significant other, and reading or binge watching shows on Netflix. She also has a soft spot for Dungeons and Dragons and board games. When there isn't a keyboard in front of her, there is almost always a cup of coffee in her hands.

Now that you know a bit about her, here's the interview I had with her! 

Hey Maggie! I'm so happy to have you over for an interview! I've read and loved your books ever since you wrote the very first one! I still remember reading Written Stars and fawning (and drooling) over it's absolutely gorgeous cover! It's so great to have you over! So without further delay, I'm gonna ask you just a couple of fun questions!

What made you want to write lesfic? What was your inspiration?

Great question! Initially I was drawn to writing romance novels just based out of curiosity more than anything. I’d always wanted to write books and I learned a lot doing research online about writing romance and getting into self-publishing. In high school, I dated women and have always had an interest in the community. A friend of mine from college suggested I write in the genre because of the desire for new authors. From there, it was history.

Well, I’m glad you started writing all these amazing books! Now, If you had to choose one character from one of your books, which one would you want to be?

Wow! This is a tricky question. I think I’d love to be Emma Harvey, my character from my newest book “Forbidden Melody”. I just love the story between Emma and Juliet, the two main-characters. Plus, I’d love to be able to play the piano as well as she does. Grace Allen, from “Wildsky” was actually based off of my own personal experiences. She would be my other pick, only because I’d love to have a love interest in a character like Shiloh! She’s so dreamy!

I haven't read either of those yet, but now I really want to! Who are the top five authors who have inspired you to keep writing?

I’d have to pick authors in my genre specifically. It’s hard to narrow down to just five (I had to pick six), but I’m partial to some of my friends I’ve made since I started writing. Em Stevens, Jea Hawkins, Noelle Winters, Miranda McLeod, Amanda Kayhart and Cara Malone would be my picks. As far as authors out of my genre that I admire, I love Michael Crichton, Dean Koontz, Piers Anthony, Brandon Sanderson, and Frank Herbert.

Wow, that's a long list. I'll need to check them out! By the way, what would you rather drink while writing, tea or coffee?

Let’s see… on any given day I have at least 6-7 cups of coffee, if not more. So, I’m going to have to go with coffee!

I love both tea and coffee, but I prefer coffee while writing too! Do you have any pets? If yes, tell us about them!

I have a 26 pound Siberian cat named Vegeta (named after the Dragon Ball Z character). My significant other is allergic to cats, so we adopted a Siberian because they are hypoallergenic. He pretty much acts like a dog and is always begging for attention.

I have a cat too! And I absolutely love her! Okay before I get sidetracked, please tell us something about your current work in progress!

My newest book is called “Forbidden Melody”. It is the 10th book I’ve published and my 4th novel. I decided to pick topics that I loved to celebrate a milestone in my publishing career, so as a result I picked a book about musicians and specifically one that is deaf. I was born with congenital atresia and microtia which left me with no outer ear or ear canal. The result left me deaf in my right ear. I also work at an audiology clinic, with patients who are hard of hearing, so the subject is important to me. I grew up with a family of musicians, mostly bluegrass musicians (my father plays banjo), so I have a soft spot for music.

The new book is by far my favorite book and the longest book I will have written and I can’t wait to share it! I am rather attached to the characters and the story.

Now I need to read it! I can see how close this book is to your heart, and that means it'll be really beautiful! What's your favourite quote/line from one of your books?

I think it would have to be from Written Stars, my debut novella:

"The stars don't hold our destiny, our destiny is what holds the stars." I basically re-wrote a Shakespeare quote that I really love and it just sort of stuck.

That is one of my favourite quotes from your books too, not to mention my favourite book! Okay, on to the next question! If you had to describe your writing style in five words, what would you say?

Hmm.. Another good question! I think I would describe my writing as quirky, fun-loving, thoughtful, unique, and entertaining.

I totally agree with that assessment of yours!

What's the worst thing that happened to you as a writer? Any funny/scary anecdotes to share?

I’d say the worst thing to happen to me as a writer was the time it took me to finally start writing! I can’t believe I went as long as I did without attempting to self-publish. It’s been the best thing that I’ve ever done for myself. I can’t imagine stopping at this point.

As I always ask almost every author I interview, are you a plotter or a pantser?

When I first started, I totally thought I was a pantser. Truth of the matter is, being a pantser gives me grey hairs faster than anything. So, I made a compromise with myself. I outline a little bit in advance, kind of adjusting as the story goes along. That way I minimize stress but still have a bit of a plan to work with. Admittedly, I still panic about midway through and have a tearful breakdown, but it all works out in the end.

I can relate to you on that front! Even though I have a basic outline ready, my story always takes me somewhere else, leaving me totally confused and with no control over it! Okay, here's a fun question!

Would you rather fight a dragon or a serial killer?

Dragon! No questions asked. I play Dungeons and Dragons on the weekends and I’ve always wondered what it would be like to battle a real dragon! I’d definitely want a good party at my side. I always tend to be a Bard, and those are definitely not the folks you want at the frontlines. I’d be a great aid, however! 😊

If your biography were to be written, who would you want to be it's writer?

I wish Michael Crichton were still alive. I loved his books so much and I think he’d be a great guy to write my biography. I’ll settle for Barack Obama. He always speaks so eloquently, I’m sure he’d make me sound amazing.

I'm pretty sure he'll do an amazing job at that! Okay, what's your favourite writing-time snacks?

I write a lot at coffee shops, so my snacks often consist of a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese and a ton of coffee. Sometimes the baristas will give me a free cookie to help with my “writing muse”, so free sugar is always an added bonus.

More sugar is always better! So, what are you currently reading?

I read a lot of lesfic to keep up with other authors in my genre. My latest read is “Seeing Red” by Cara Malone, which is fantastic thus far.

Damn, I need to check that one out. It sounds good! Okay, one last question, what is your favourite thing about being a LesFic author?  

Without a doubt, the community. You will never find a more supportive and gracious group of individuals as the lesbian community. I’ve been blown away by the authors, the fans, everything about it. There are so many great authors and the readers are always hungry for new stories. It’s just fantastic. I’m really blessed.

That was so much fun! Thank you for stopping by for this fun chat! I wish you the best of luck for all your upcoming books and I'm really eager to read 'Forbidden Melody’!

Made you curious, didn't I? Want to know about her books? Check out my reviews for Magnolia's books:

The first book I read bu her was her debut, Written Stars.

Some of her other books that I've read are,
Royal Pains.
Sweet Pickles.
Due North.
Winters Solace.
Traffic & Weather.