Welcome SYTYCW contestant Author Robyn Rychards

I'm super excited to have Robyn Rychards here with me today. She's a regular on the Harlequin Board and recently had a little party thread when she sold her debut novel, Her Man from Shilo, to Harlequin Escape.

Overall, how would you rate your experience with So You think You Can Write Global 2012?

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being perfect, I would rate it an 8. It was definitely worth entering and if I wasn’t working for Harlequin at this point, I would enter again next time.

We were required to upload the first chapter as our entry in SYTYCW. Is that chapter still in its original form or has it gone through more revisions?

I am in the process of major revisions on the first several chapters because I submitted it to my publisher and she gave me some revision suggestions.

How about the rest of the book? Is it finished? Going through more revisions?

I did submit a chapter from a completed manuscript to the contest, although it seems like there’s always tweaking that needs to be done, and now, of course, I’m doing a rewrite on it.

How long have you been writing?

Since I was in middle school, though once I started having children, I had to put it on the back burner. I am in awe of anyone who can write with small children around. I wasn’t able to get back to it until my youngest was in school all day.

Have you ever entered a contest like this one before?

SYTYCW was my first real contest. I had entered the Writer’s Challenge several times on the Harlequin Boards and placed with each entry.

What are your thoughts about the promotional aspect of the contest?

Hmmm…. I like to leave that sort of thing to the professionals. Seems to me they did a pretty good job of it.

If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently, if anything?

Enter a different story.

What are you working on now?

I have several irons in the fire right now. Two completed manuscripts that I’m reworking the first few chapters on, one of them my SYTYCW entry. It appears I have a bit of a problem getting the beginnings of my books right…. I am also working on a new manuscript that I hope to submit to Harlequin KISS or Romance. I’m about a third of the way done with that one.

Where can we find you on the Web?

I never thought I’d see the day, but I have a website, www.robynrychards.com . I am on Facebook and Twitter as well, and of course my digital publisher’s website, Harlequin’s Escape Publishing www.escapepublishing.com.au. I feel like I’m all over the place now. Including Amazon and iTunes! Who would have thought?

I'm really happy for your, Robyn and wish you much success with your debut novel!

And now here's a blurb from Robyn’s debut Her Man from Shilo:

Rafferty Pierce's step-father has arranged a marriage for him in order to expand the family ranch. Just one small problem-Rafferty already has a wife.

Daimiana Casey has loved two things for as long as she can remember…. Dancing and Rafferty Pierce. Will she be able to convince Rafferty she doesn’t have to give up one to have the other?

With his step-father’s ultimatum, Rafferty is forced to reveal the shotgun marriage he’s kept secret and with it passion and tension erupt. Can Daimee and Raff have what they both want more than anything?