AR:  It is my pleasure, thank you for having me.  Discussing my work is one of my favorite things to do.

PBR:   Can you please tell us what made you get into writing? And how long have you been writing?

AR: How it all started is still unclear to me.  I just know that one day, about 20 years ago, I had this incredible urge to get in front of my typewriter, yes typewriter, and copy down what my mind was dictating.  Typing and creativeness always came easy to me.  I was writing articles for the school paper and typing over 100 wpm ever since I can remember, so naturally, when this urge took its toll, I surrendered to it.  At the time, I did not tell anybody what I was doing.  Let’s be frank, I married before I even graduated high school, had twins at 19, and another child at 20, which only allowed me about two years of college. Who would think that I could write a book without any experience or a college degree?  Well, it took me 20 years and 10 books, to…come out of the closet, so to speak.  When I did, I found the support and encouragement of all my family and friends and wondered why I had waited so long.     

PBR:  Many people enjoy writing, but find it very difficult to get published.  For you, was it hard to get published?

AR: It isn’t courage that you need, for courage is only needed when there is something to fear, and if you believe in yourself there is nothing to fear.  As I said, it took me a good while to realize that what you need is to believe in what you’re writing. My novel has been presented with several wonderful reviews, and had I not taken a chance, I would have never known how well it would be received. Whether you use the traditional way, or a self-publishing company, the most important thing is perseverance. Seek support from other authors, get your book out to the media, and onto the Internet, and never give up.

PBR:  Is the romance genre the first and your favorite genre that you have written in, and what about it makes you write romance novels?

AR> Storytelling can only be effective when you pour your soul into it.  I love to ask my readers to allow me to take them beyond the walls of their hearts and into the realm of their dreams.  I like assuring them that romance, adventure and a dose of intrigue are at their fingertips. I love to ask them to turn the pages and escape on a journey of desire.  What other genre offers you the opportunity to combine so many emotions?  So yes, whether contemporary or historical, with a dash of suspense, the romance genre definitely is it for me.

PBR:  I was completely enthralled with your characters in Labyrinth of Passions.  Did you fashion Isabel and Lucas after anyone you know?

AR: No, they are absolutely figments of my imagination.  Protagonists make the story memorable, and I work very hard to create strong vibrant characters that reach deep within the hearts of my readers. After all, I hold my heroes and heroines accountable for many things.  They have to hold the readers captured through the story, to imprison their emotions with ever turning of the page. My characters absolutely must make them sigh with satisfaction; provoke them, entice them with sensually fought conflict of wits between them.  And finally, and most importantly, they must engage my readers in the plot so deeply, that they can see each scene in their mind as if they are watching a film.

PBR:  I also love period pieces, and Labyrinth of Passions is set in 1858, England.  Please tell us a bit about how much and what kind of research went into the writing of this particular book?

AR:  In writing a period book you have to go through a large amount of research.  But research is one of my favorite parts of creating a novel, so I don’t mind it at all. The world of royal niceties in 1858 London is far removed from the 21st century, but readers have the right to expect the story to be as authentic as possible. They should expect nothing less than to be mentally transported to that time in which romance was a way of life.  Details like, the exact opera at the Theatre Royale- I had two of my characters actually discuss the opera.  The correct form to address nobility depending on the title they hold.  Then there is clothing, medicines available during that time, even area vegetation has to be researched. At the end, though, all research is well worth it.

PBR:  I often like to ask this question:  What is the best advice you can give to writers of all experience levels?

AR: I would tell them not to wait like I did.  If you believe in your work, start out by having some of your friends read it. That usually gives you the boost of confidence necessary to seek out a publisher.  And then just go for it.

PBR:  Tell us a secret … are the adventures and love story of Lucas and Isabel going to continue, or is this it?

AR: Funny you should ask that, because many of my readers have asked me the same question. You generate impeccable characters to fit an equally impeccable story. Characters that make you laugh, cry and live their tale.  You cherish them so deeply, that you could swear they are real and then you sadly have to put them to rest. There are times when these heroes demand an encore. So if these requests continue, although the book was not written to have a sequel, I may have to concede and find a way to please my friends.

PBR:  Do you have any other novels you are currently working on? If so, are any soon to be published?

AR: I am presently working on a very engaging historical romance set in the 1860’s called, “Mistress for Hire”.  It is almost done and filled with a high quantity of passion and suspense.   The villain on my story appropriates himself with young girls from orphanages to prepare them to be rich men’s mistresses.  Mistresses with a twist, though, for at the end they are not just educated, but also virgins.  One of them, Josie, runs away and ends up in Viscount Edward Blakemore’s estate.  But they are looking for her, and she must hide. How far is she willing to go to stay hidden and how far is he willing to go to protect her? There are surprises, intrigue and I am very optimistic that my readers are going to love it as much as I do.

PBR:  Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with us, and we all wish you the best of success with your book.

AR:  You are most welcome.  You know, a writer is measured by his determination to get his work to his readers, and yield not to the impediments that lay before him. Never giving up, never surrendering to the pursuit of his dream.  A dream that must chase him, day and night, until he gets his heart, in the form of a book, into the readers hands. I shall never give up.  Thank you so much for your wonderful questions.