Author's Interview with Robin Leemann Donovan

Before we dive into our exciting conversation with today’s remarkable author, let’s start by getting to know the creative mind behind the diverse and captivating stories.

1. Could you please introduce yourself to us?

I was born and raised in New Jersey but lived and worked in Connecticut for a number of years before moving to Nebraska in 1999. I taught High School English before moving into advertising in the early 80's where I worked on accounts like Duracell, Stanley Tools, IBM, etc. In 1999 I moved to Omaha to work for Bozell and in 2001 three colleagues and I bought the agency from its New York based parent company. I recently retired after serving as president since 2012. I have served on the board of Alzheimer's of the Midlands, the Omaha Children's Museum, the YWCA and several advertising boards. I am the author of Menologues, a humorous yet informative look at the journey of menopause. Menologues was republished on Vibrant Nation as well as Alltop. My Donna Leigh Mystery series has won several regional awards and I was named a 2021 Enterprising Woman of the Year by the national magazine Enterprising Women. I live with my husband, Joe and my French Bulldogs, Frank and Ellie in Omaha, with a second home in Eden, Utah.

2. Congratulations on your book! What inspired you to write it?

I started writing the Donna Leigh Mystery series because my business partner and I had brought in a third partner who was loud, obnoxious and thoroughly annoying. There wasn't much I could do to fix the situation initially, so I found solace in writing a humorous murder mystery on the weekends rather than fret about what I couldn't control. And just fyi - that partner burned himself out and left while I was writing my second book. 

3. What is your book about?

My first book, " Is It Still Murder Even If She Was A Bitch?" is about a menopausal ad agency owner in Omaha, Nebraska who finds out that a former employee has been murdered. She quickly jumps in to help the police investigate so she won't become the lead suspect. Donna and her bumbling cohorts stumble their way around the investigation in their classically raucous fashion.

4. Why did you choose this genre for your book?

When my publisher suggested I write about my passion I responded that that would be comedy. As I sat down at the keyboard, I realized the book had to be about something and my other great passion was murder mysteries. That's how the Donna Leigh Mystery series was born. 

5. How long did it take you to complete the book?

Apparently, this book was in my head just waiting to be released. Once I sat down at the keyboard it took me three months to finish writing it. It took close to 15 months of light editing. proofing and formatting before it was ready to hit the streets. During that time, I wrote most of my second book. 

6. What makes your book special?

My books, actually my series, is special because it is genuine. My protagonist isn't perfect in any way - which is often pointed out by her antagonist, Clovis, and that's something with which people can relate. Most murder mysteries featuring female sleuths portray their protagonist as being very young, brilliant, physically perfect and a top achiever - or Miss Marple 80's and brilliant. but dismissed by many. Donna Leigh is somewhere in the middle and she's far more relatable to real people.  

7. When can we expect your next book?

Actually, my fourth book is nearly complete and I'm hoping it will hit the streets in early 2025. This book is particularly unique because I am writing it in conjunction with a Swiss Olympic Gold Medalist, Dominique Gisin. Dominique had read my other books and asked if she could be a character in my fourth book. In this fourth book, Dominique and Donna work together to solve a murder in Switzerland. This interview is the first time I have shared any details about this latest book with the public. 

8. Did you experience writer’s block while writing? What advice would you give to others who face it?

While writing my first book, I only experienced writer's block once. I forced myself to write anyway - and ended up throwing the whole thing out the next day. My advice is to wait until inspiration hits you and don't try to force it. In my experience, inspiration is generally all around you and you just have to relax and listen to your own calm thoughts. 

9. Besides being a talented author, what are your other hobbies?

Thank you, I like to think I'm talented. I like to ski (hence the house in Utah), and dance. I like to swim, read (naturally), go to wine tastings and most of all, I like to laugh and make other people laugh. 

10. Last but not least, how did you feel during this interview?

I love to share my work in book talks and readings as well as sharing my work in written interviews. I feel elated as I write these answers. I also appreciate that many of these questions are unique. There are some written interviews that can be cut and pasted out of my other interviews because the questions don't vary by much - this interview is unique and I appreciate that. 

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