Today is the last day of my Five Year Blogiversary Celebration and I’m super excited to share a Q&A with one of my favorite author’s Roni Loren. Roni is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and her latest book series ‘The Ones Who Got Away’ is just amazing. Next to this Q&A, Roni also gave me the opportunity to host a giveaway for a chance to win her book.

• When did you know you wanted to be an author and write books?

I was always a big reader and enjoyed writing. I wrote my first novel at fifteen. It was basically New Kids on the Block fan fiction, lol, but that gave me the bug. When I went to college, I first double majored in English and Psychology, but then I got “practical” and dropped the writing classes to focus on psychology. I got my masters in social work and practiced in that field for a few years. I didn’t pick up writing again until I had a baby and was staying home with him. That was 2008. That’s the first time I really gave it a go, trying to make a career of it. I landed an agent and book deal in 2010. My first book came out in 2012, and I haven’t looked back since! : )

• What do you love most and the least about being an author?

What I love the most is that I get to do what I’m passionate about for a living. I don’t take that for granted. Even on the frustrating writing days, I’m amazed that people pay me to do this. I get to play with imaginary people as a job. How cool is that?

The worst part is probably that there’s a natural instability in this kind of career. The industry can change. The tastes of readers/the market can shift on a dime. You’ve got to constantly be on your toes and ready to pivot.

• How would you describe your books?

I’ve written both contemporary romance and erotic romance. The storylines and heat levels are different, obviously, but I think there are some themes that you’ll find in all my books. The tagline on my website is “For the Fearless Romantic”, and I think that holds true in my books. I write books that have emotional backstories and plots (with some darkness mixed in) but they’re also sexy and have a lot of heart and humor. I try to balance the heavy and light. Readers tell me that my books make them both cry and laugh, so hopefully I’m pulling that goal off. And of course, there’s always a happy ending!

• The Ones Who Got Away Series is a romance series in which the main characters have been through a tragedy. Where did you get the idea of writing this series?

I read a lot outside of my genre, so I had read a few YA books with a school shooting story. Then, I read Columbine by Dave Cullen. They were tough books to read, but I found myself wondering while I was reading Columbine, what happens to the survivors after the news cameras leave and the world moves on? How do they go on with their lives? How do you find an identity outside of that one defining moment? Do they get to find happy endings for themselves? My idea for The Ones Who Got Away was to give characters like them a happy ending.

• The Ones Who Got Away Series is definitely one of my favorite series. The stories keep you hooked, the characters are memorable and very likeable, the romance is amazing and these books make you feel all kinds of emotions. As an author do you ‘feel’ these emotions while writing?

Thank you! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the series. : ) As for feeling the emotions while I’m writing, yes, absolutely. I figure if a scene makes me teary or has me grinning wide, then I’m doing the scene justice. I recently finished writing the last book in the series and the final scene had me getting weepy. It was happy weepy, but it was really hard to say goodbye to these characters. I’ve grown quite attached.

• Can you tell us more about your new upcoming book?

The next book, The One For You, will be Kincaid’s book and the final in the series. I had so much fun writing it because Kincaid is the most outspoken and colorful character in the group of friends. I picture her as a sassy Reese Witherspoon. Her story is going to be reunion story, where her best guy friend from high school (who was secretly in love with her) comes back to town. They have a lot of unresolved conflict between them, so they have quite a journey to go on. The book will be out at the end of the year.

Thanks for having me!

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Check out my reviews of these books written by Roni:

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. She holds a master’s degree in social work and spent years as a mental health counselor, but now she writes full time from her cozy office in Dallas, Texas where she puts her characters on the therapy couch instead. She is a two-time RITA Award winner and a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. For more info about Roni please visit her website. Or visit her on Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you Roni for helping me celebrate my Five Year Blogiversary!

Maureen Bakker

Maureen is a mom, wife, nurse, and Ravenclaw living in the Netherlands. She spends her days juggling mom-life, reading, blogging, planning date nights with her husband and working as a nurse. Maureen also is a big Anglophile, loves cooking, Gilmore Girls, Bridgerton and Harry Potter.. Always!  Facebook | Instagram