An interview with 1RomanceBooks USA:
Robin Anderson, the one and ONLY is in this week's Author Spotlight.
How would you describe your writing style
I have no aspirations to being another Dostoevsky or Dickens! I simply see my novels as enjoyable 'bonk-busters,' - racy, raunchy, great fun while involving the reader in the blackest humour, endless thrills and devious twists. An ideal flight companion or else an enjoyable beach read, but, with the latter, may I suggest keep a convenient towel handy for 'operation cover up!' However, be warned, my novels are not for the faint-hearted.
Jason Jones of Gaydar Nation says of an earlier novel, THE GALLERY, 'It reads like Stephen King, the Marquis d Sade and Quentin Crisp have had a particularly debauched gang-bang. In other words, vintage Anderson.'
Of VERSUS, another RA and one of my favourites, Peter Burton, a highly respected critic, writes, 'The Jackie Collins of the one handed read for gay men, has appropriately located his latest 500 page epic within the world of Britain's hardcore porn film industry.'
In lighter vein, Sally Farmiloe in her Hotgossip column writes, 'The elegant Robin Anderson is a writer who simply gets better and better! There's something for everyone in THE GALLERY - heteros, homos, bestiality and the foulest eating habits of the century!'
Need I say any more? Best judge for yourselves!
If you were to write a series of novels, what would it be about?
My first four novels have completely different themes with a variety of settings - having travelled extensively I enjoy placing my great variety of characters in unusual parts of the globe from Machu Picchu to Myanmar to even the fictional country of Judastan, a miniscule neighbour to Russia. It was quite by chance that I hit upon the idea of my two most favourite characters, Miz Miranda Maracona and Miz Kookie Kombuis, two transvestites of 'taste, not tackiness,' who feature in LA DI DA DI BLOODY DA! an outrageous tale involving murder, mayhem and more. The title came from a run in with a big bruiser in charge of road works outside venue where the launch of another of book of mine, VERSUS, was to take place. On being told – in no uncertain terms – that I hoped his endeavours would be completed by the night of the launch, so as not to inconvenience by glitterati guests, he simply doffed his hard hat while uttering the magical words, 'Well la di a di bloody da!' before deliberately sashaying away to join his workmates. Minutes later, while waiting for a guest in a nearby bistro, I could not but help overhearing two transvestites, one black and one white, regaling their adventures from the night before, hence LA DI DA DI BLOODY DA! was born.
Miz M and Miz K (published both in England and now America through LETHE PRESS) have proved to be so popular that the sequel, TRANNYS TO TIARAS! is now with SILVER PUBLISHING. Unable to resist my editor's and my own outrageous relationship with these two, I wouldn't be all that surprised if we don't meet up again later next year when, to quote the outrageous Miz Kookie, 'YES, WE HAVE
GONE BANANAS!'
Does travel play in the writing of your books?
I am an inveterate traveller and can honestly say I have visited all of the seven continents with the exception of the Arctic! Many of the places I have been fortunate enough to visit serve as backgrounds to my novels. Having been brought up in the former Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa, the latter serves as a vivid background for my psycho thriller SEBASTIAN & SELINE, along with Italy, England and South America. RED SNAPPER sees forays into Argentina, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil which also involves travels to parts of the mighty Amazon River. Obviously America appears time and time again, along with the hot spots of Europe and Asia. You'll travel to Egypt, Mauritius, Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, Borneo, Thailand, India and more in my novels.
What are you passionate about these days?
Obviously my writing in numero uno and something I see as a complete pleasure. I write virtually every day, albeit a few pages or sometimes even up to thirty or forty pages. I write in longhand which sees my thoughts flowing without interruption and then put all down on the computer. I find my thoughts interrupted when putting these straight onto the computer as I start re-reading and checking which curtails the general flow.
However, my other passion is the preservation of endangered animals. One of the greatest moments as a teenager in Africa was being involved in the early sixties with OPERATION NOAH, an international event, which saw the rescue of thousands of animals trapped on the numerous islands being formed daily by the rising waters of the new, man-made Lake Kariba resulting from the massive, newly constructed Kariba Dam on the mighty Zambezi River. Along with dozens of volunteers, skilled professional rangers and game wardens, we'd spend days travelling from temporary island to island, sometimes tranquilising the stranded animals and sometimes simply 'netting' them before transporting them safely to newly designated animal sanctuaries otherwise known as game reserves. An incredible experience.
Today I am the proud foster parent to four Orang-utans who live happily in an Orang-utan sanctuary outside Sepilok in Borneo, along with Marlon and Marlene, two elephants, and Rodney, a white rhinoceros, the three of whom live in pampered bliss on a large ranch in Zimbabwe. As a child, growing up in the then Rhodesia, my closest companions were a baboon named Lucy and a cheetah called Charlie. Both were found as orphans and were brought up together. Cheetahs and baboons are sworn enemies but Lucy and Charlie were inseparable. One of the saddest days in my life was having to return these two to the wild, due to leaving Rhodesia. Happily both seemed to take to their new habitat without any problem.
Due to my continued travels and the fact I live in a city flat (albeit overlooking one of the loveliest of squares in Chelsea) I see it as extremely selfish wanting to own any animal, their welfare and happiness, for me, being too important.
What makes you happy?
Waking up and finding I'm around for another day!
previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 next