Meet Sheila Roberts, USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestselling author! She’s a beloved voice in women’s fiction known for her heartwarming, feel-good stories that celebrate friendship, love, and life’s second (and third!) chances.
With her signature blend of humor and heart, Sheila’s new book, The Man Next Door (Oct 14 MIRA Books), offers another perfect escape.
Whether Sheila’s whisking readers away to Icicle Falls or stirring up mischief in her holiday-themed novels, Sheila reminds us that it’s never too late to start fresh, fall in love again, or laugh until your sides hurt.
From Amazon:
“In this spunky nod to Rear Window, Roberts infuses a charming domestic comedy with a soupçon of suspicion. . . . a heartwarming diversion.”
–Publishers Weekly
The Man Next Door:
Love in the Time of Serial Killers meets The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window in this delightful romp about a recently broke divorcee who moves in with her house-bound mother only to spend their days spying on her grumpy, mysterious, and sexy new neighbor.
Connect with Sheila Roberts here:
Sheila Roberts – Read Sheila For A Good Time
Thank you for stopping by, Sheila!
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your latest book, The Man Next Door (We’re guessing there’s more than meets the eye with this neighbor!).
I love being a writer, and I love talking about books with my writing buddies and all the fabulous readers I’ve met over the years. I work hard and I play a lot, and I don’t go a day without taking my vitamin C (chocolate). As for that man next door, one does have to wonder about him. He certainly looks like Mr. Perfect… until my main character Zona and her true crime addicted mother Louise start hearing some very scary fighting going on over at his house. Is that woman who appeared out of nowhere his girlfriend? More importantly, is she in danger? And now she’s disappeared. Suddenly. This must be investigated. Alfred Hitchcock would love to meet these two!
You strike me as someone who loves to laugh. Did The Man Next Door bring any laugh-out-loud moments for you while writing it?
Yes, I can think of a couple. One scene involving a swimming pool comes to mind, and, well, let’s just say it’s not a pool party.
What do you hope readers walk away with after spending time in the world of The Man Next Door? A few laughs, a tear or two… and maybe a little hope?
Actually, all of the above. I’m hoping this book will be a fun Halloween read – but not too scary. I don’t want anyone having to sleep with the bedroom light on. And there must be romance. After all, I have three generations that need to get their love lives sorted out. I was happy to help them and add a teary moment or two in the process. And I must say an emphatic yes to wanting readers to walk away with hope. I believe we can always find something good in life and something to hope for. There are enough bad things lurking out there. I want to give the reader a chance to escape them and to maybe even believe that, like my characters, she can find her way to a better life.
From your Life in Icicle Falls series to your holiday-themed books, you’ve built a world of comfort reading. So impressive! What draws you back to small towns—and quirky, lovable characters—again and again?
For me, small towns seem to have a sense of community that can be hard to find in the city. Having lived in both, I must say I’m a small-town girl at heart. I love always running into someone I know in the grocery store. I love interacting with my neighbors. Of course, we can find connections wherever we live, and that includes the city, but small towns seem to offer a chance for more connectivity. As for characters, I do love quirky ones. They always add extra color to a story. Actually, I’m concerned I’m turning into a bit of a quirky character myself!
How have some of your past lives (playing in a band) made their way into your stories? Any traces of your own journey in this new book?
Those music days were good times. I made several trips to Nashville, trying to make it as a songwriter. I met some great people, but, sadly, I was never able to move my whole family there so I could chase that dream. My past life didn’t leak into this book, but it did find its way into Mermaid Beach, part of my Moonlight Harbor series. When working on that I had a chance to revisit Nashville. The city has changed a lot but there are still places you can go for glimpses of the old Nashville I remember. This new book was inspired by one of my favorite movies, the classic Rear Window, but I will say that Zona’s situation, dealing with financial ruin thanks to a husband (now an ex) who had a gambling problem has come very close to the personal experiences of people I know. That kind of thing is scarier than any bogeyman Halloween can produce.
What advice would you give to someone over 40 who’s still trying to find “their thing’, whether it’s love, creativity, or career?
You probably have many years left to do all those great things you’re called to do, so don’t get discouraged. You’re only at the halfway mark. And many of us don’t come into our power as women until our forties and fifties. So, get out there and start doing!
Do you feel commercial fiction authors are facing particular challenges these days whether it be tied to politics, world issues, technology, or the environment?
I think the hardest thing for many of us is oversaturation of the market. There are a lot of us on this writer boat now and with shrinking shelf space, it’s starting to sink. Plus, we’re competing for people’s attention with all manner of media and tech toys. Having said that though, I think there’s always room for a great story. Writers and readers have a way of finding each other.
Who are some of your favorite authors and why?
I have so many! But I’ll just share a couple. I still love Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. I adore Julia London and Courtney Walsh. And I am addicted to novels by Kaira Rouda. Her characters are despicable and fascinating. I gobble up her books like chocolate.
What does your typical day look like when it comes to writing?
I will be plunked in my favorite chair by the window, working off the synopsis I’ve created. There will be pauses for inspiration (usually found in the fridge). The writing sessions may only last a couple of hours, then it’s on to the business side of writing. Whether long or short, there will be a writing day. Except Sunday. Day of rest.
Any advice you’d like to give to aspiring writers today?
Learn your craft. Read books on writing, go to conferences, practice, learn to understand important terms such as high concept, inner conflict, and plot development and work on applying them to your story. Give yourself time to grow as a writer. By the way, no matter where we are in our career, we never stop growing.
For your loyal fans, is there anything in the pipeline you can tell us about?
There’s always something in the pipeline for sure! I have a spring book coming out that has a bitter misogynist shock jock and the owner of a romance bookstore involved in an epic battle of the sexes. I think love should win in the end, don’t you?
