Spy Games

Today we welcome romantic suspense author Gina Robinson back to the Lair. What has been happening with you since you joined us last year?

I’ve been writing away and just generally keeping busy with everyday life. Isn’t life funny? It zips by at a million miles a minute, each day so busy and full you feel like you’ll never get everything done. Then someone asks you what you’ve been up to lately and suddenly you just draw a blank. That’s the way I feel right now. I’ve been busy doing everything and nothing, nothing exciting enough to stand out anyway.

My second novel, Spy Games, was released on December 1st. I’m very happy and excited by that. Now I can say I’m a multi-published author .

Your Spy Camp series sounds like a really cool idea. Please tell us how it's structured.

Sure! Basically each book is a standalone single title story featuring a unique cast of characters. What ties the books together is Fantasy Spy Camps, the fictional extreme vacation company I created. Fantasy Spy Camps (FSC) runs a variety of spy-themed camps worldwide. Spy Games takes place at FSC’s Urban Ops camp in Seattle, Washington. The first book, Spy Candy, took place in Arizona. Since each book is a complete story unto itself, they can be read in any order.

Who are the hero and heroine of Spy Games, and what's their main problem?

My heroine is Reilly Peterson. She’s a former college athlete, former sportswear model, and current sportswear company executive. And she has a crazed ex-boyfriend after her. My youngest daughter is tall and athletic. I gave Reilly those physical characteristics, and a similar love of sports, in an effort to portray tall women as sexy and desirable. Even though most supermodels are 5’10” and over, I think it’s all too easy for the average tall woman to feel somewhat less than feminine.

I’ve seen so many tall young women slump, trying to look shorter and more petite, I guess. Instead they end up looking like they lack confidence. I didn’t want my daughter to feel that way, or to feel like she has to wear flats for the rest of her life. My sister, who’s nearly 5’10”, is a great example for my daughter. My sister’s tall, nearly as tall as her husband, yet she loves heels and wears them all the time. She’s confident and proud of her height. I want my daughter to feel that way, too. Woman of all shapes and sizes should have a good body image. Beauty comes in all shapes.

My hero is Van Keller. He’s a wisecracking math professor who just might be more than he seems.

Their main problem is Reilly’s ex-boyfriend and the dead bodies that turn up at camp. Reilly doesn’t believe a math professor is any match for her athletic ex-boyfriend. As a consequence, she tries to distance herself from Van in order to save him from her ex’s wrath.

Can we have a peek inside?

Sure.

Stalked

“You have any dinner plans?” Van asked.

Suddenly, I was one part pleased and nine parts panic. Flirting with Van under the innocent guise of playing basketball was one thing. But going on a date with him, alone, with Ket out there, was suicide. Or murder, depending on who Ket would kill, Van or me. Or both. I looked around at the group. “I don’t know. Have we made any plans?”

Undaunted by my sudden reserve, Van grabbed my hand and pulled the phone away from my ear. “I was thinking, we could make plans. You and me.” He pointed to me and then him. “Just the two of us. Eating together somewhere nice. I have the feeling you’re a local girl. You could suggest somewhere. I could pay.”

I turned to stare at him, my heart melting to mush. “Are you asking me out? Like for a date?”

“Yeah. Like for a date.”

My phone beeped. I had a text message.

The dude 2 ur right wants u. Tell him ur mine. Im watching U.

Oh, spooky! How are your holidays shaping up, and what's next for you?

I’m having a happy, joyful holiday season. This time of year I’m always reminded of my blessings. Already this season I’ve had lots of fun Christmas parties and activities. Just this past weekend my daughter and I hosted a table at a ladies’ Christmas luncheon whose theme was It’s a Wonderful Life. We used my Christmas dishes and designed an angelic centerpiece. Have you ever tried to find a male angel, let alone one that looks like Clarence? In the end, we used a beautiful clear acrylic female angel figure and lit her from beneath with LED lighting. We felt like Martha Stewart for a day.

As for what’s next for me, I have a short story in an anthology coming out in March in the UK and in May in the US. The book’s called The Mammoth Book of Special Ops Romance. My story is “The Lipstick Spy School.” I’m excited to be part of the anthology. There are a lot of great authors in it.

Gina, I envy you having all that lovely decorating done already. And no, I haven't ever tried to find an angel that looked like Clarence from the movie. I'm not surprised it was hard.

Your anthology story sounds great. I'll have an eye out for it.

Gina is giving away a copy of Spy Games to one commenter. So tell us, do you like your spies funny or serious? Who's your favorite spy? Your favorite book or movie involving spies in love?