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WORK TITLE: The First Word
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://isleyrobson.com/
CITY:
STATE: MA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Australia; married (husband a writer); children: two.
EDUCATION:University of Technology Sydney.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Works in corporate communications.
AWARDS:Show Me the Spark, 2013; the Catherine, 2014; the Laurie, 2014; Orange Rose, 2015; the Fire and Ice, 2015.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Isley Robson is a New England-based writer. She grew up in Australia and attended college at the University of Technology Sydney. Following graduation, she moved to Boston to continue her studies by pursuing a master’s degree. She eventually took a job in corporate communications. Although she had intended to move back to Australia, Robson met her husband in New England and settled in the U.S.
Robson has received a handful of awards for her writing, including the Orange Rose 2015, the Fire and Ice 2015, the Catherine 2014, the Laurie 2014, and Show Me the Spark 2013. She and her husband, a writer, live in New England with their two children and two dogs.
Robson’s debut novel, is The First Word, is the first installment of “The Visionaries” series. Rhys Griffiths is a single father, having recently divorced the mother of his child after a short, tumultuous marriage. Rhys’ toddler son, Will, is highly sensitive and nonverbal, prone to breaking out into inconsolable fits. Unable to both financially support his son and tend to the child’s demanding emotional needs, Rhys seeks outside help. Occupational therapist Andie Tilley comes to Rhys aid, and he hires the woman.
Andie and Will connect immediately; Will even says his first word, her name, under her care. While Andie makes a plan for Will’s care, it becomes clear that Rhys is in denial that his son’s behavior is a clear indication of autism spectrum disorder. His denial is likely a result of his own experience as an adult struggling with undiagnosed autism-spectrum symptoms. Despite being a charismatic, successful businessman with plenty of dating options, Rhys feels awkward and insecure, unable to connect with very many people. Throughout the book, Rhys expresses empathy for both his son and his younger self as he reflects on his childhood struggles with social situations.
When Andie is laid off at the clinic where she works, Rhys is terrified he will lose the only person with whom his son seems able to connect. Rhys offers Andie an opportunity she cannot refuse. He hires her to be a live-in support person for Will, allowing her to provide around-the-clock care for the child and resulting in the two adults spending much more time together. As the two make plans for Will, romantic sparks begin to fly.
Despite the undeniable attraction between Andie and Rhys, Andie is guarded. She has dedicated her life to helping children, but she struggles to let her guard down when it comes to adults and romance. Like Rhys, Andie, too, has painful memories from childhood. She was raised in an abusive household, and feels responsible for the untimely death of her younger sister. She is convinced the affair with Rhys will simply run its course, but the attraction only grows once she moves in with the small family. Once the two finally decide to give their romance a real shot, everything seems to fall into place. That all shifts, however, when Rhys’ ex-wife and the mother of Will reappears. The woman, unstable and erratic, is set on reuniting her family and will stop at nothing to achieve this goal.
A contributor to Kirkus Reviews described the book as “a very skillful depiction of parenting and working with a toddler with autism,” while a Nicola Onychuk on the RT Book Reviews website commented: “The portrayal of several non-neurotypical main characters makes for an interesting, timely and sensitive read.” Lindsay Chamberlin in the Lindsay Chamberlin website wrote: “The romance aspect of it was starkly apparent, the love of the father and child, and soon motherly figure, rang so wonderfully clear, reminding readers the multifaceted meaning of the word love.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2017, review of The First Word.
ONLINE
Lindsey Chamberlin, https://lchamberlin.com/ (January 9, 2018), Lindsay Chamberlin, review of The First Word.
RT Book Reviews, https://www.rtbookreviews.com/ (March 26, 2018), Nicola Onychuk, review of The First Word.
Isley Robson is a word lover who, when not reading, spends her time writing about colorful characters and the people who love them. After earning a degree from the University of Technology Sydney, she moved to the Boston area to continue her studies and eventually took a job in corporate communications. Through it all, she continued writing and has now won a variety of romantic-fiction awards, including the Orange Rose 2015, the Fire and Ice 2015, the Catherine 2014, the Laurie 2014, and Show Me the Spark 2013. Her debut novel, The First Word, is book one in The Visionaries series.
Robson lives in New England with her writer husband, two children, and two dogs.
Isley Robson's THE FIRST WORD
June 12, 2017 No Comments Author Interview with RJ, Giveaway, Spotlight
The First Word by Isley Robson
THE FIRST WORD by Isley Robson
To stay sane, Andie Tilly must keep her mind on her work. Her job as a pediatric occupational therapist is the perfect distraction from the unspeakable tragedy she experienced as a child. But when she meets alternative-energy magnate Rhys Griffiths and his autistic toddler, Will, she quickly realizes her heart will never be the same. Especially when her name becomes Will’s first word.
Q & A
Q&A with Isley Robson
I am so glad you could join us here at Romance Junkies. To start, will you please tell us a little bit about your current project?
I’m so happy to be here! My debut novel, THE FIRST WORD, follows the budding relationship of tech CEO Rhys Griffiths and occupational therapist Andie Tilly. Single father Rhys is reeling in the wake of his non-verbal toddler son Will’s recent autism spectrum diagnosis. But everything changes when Will says his first word: Andie, the name of the therapist who has been able to reach him in a way even Rhys has not.
Rhys—determined to do whatever it takes to help his son—rushes to offer Andie a live-in gig working intensively with Will. Andie’s troubled past makes her wary of taking the unorthodox job (after all, OTs usually bill in 45-minute increments!), but the draw of helping Will is too strong to resist. In rather Jane Eyre fashion, she moves into Rhys’s mock-Georgian mansion in the Boston suburbs, where she must try to resist the appeal of her new employer’s blue-smoke eyes, his awkward charm, and his devotion to his child.
When was the moment that you knew you had to be a writer?
Writing has always been my thing, but I first knew I wanted to write romance when I discovered romance novels at the local library as a teenager. I became convinced that my favorite English teacher was secretly a romance writer and I longed to emulate her. I entered a few Mills & Boon writing contests (the British imprint of Harlequin, because I’m Australian) in my late teens and early 20’s (and even won a prize), but I went into academia and forgot about it for many years. Then, one day, I looked up and realized a lot of time had gone by and I’d better do it for real. I also write for my day job, so sometimes it’s tough to write at night, but I’m trying to fit it all in!
Who gave you the one piece of writing advice that sticks with you to this day?
I’m a perfectionist with more than a touch of OCD, so for me the advice that resonates the most is something a work colleague always says to me: “The perfect is the enemy of the good,” which is translated from the words of the French philosopher Voltaire. I am definitely my own worst critic. I tend to censor and second-guess myself mercilessly, and to inhibit a first draft from flowing onto the page, due to sheer terror. Obviously, that’s something I need to get over. In the end, it’s better to have something on the page than a perfect mirage still in your own head. Like Nora Roberts says, “You can’t edit a blank page.”
Describe the “perfect” hero. What about the “perfect” hero for you?
I’m not one for the wealthy alpha billionaire who checks every box all the way down the line. I get put off when heroes are cocky or hyper-masculine. For me, flaws and quirks make a hero so much more interesting, and if he is angsty and tormented, even better. The kinds of book boyfriends I like are self-deprecating, funny, and a little bit broken (but with an inner core of strength). They are gorgeous, yes—but I like them more off-beat than granite-jawed. And they have to have a lot going on behind the eyes.
My hero, Rhys, in THE FIRST WORD, is rather idealized, I admit. He’s disarmingly good-looking and he’s successful, but his success is driven by the same Asperger’s traits that trip him up in other areas of his life. He has trouble reading people and is regarded as a bit eccentric in the business world (he often takes meetings barefoot, and has sensory sensitivities that sometimes dictate his wardrobe choices). When we meet him, he’s struggling with his son’s autism diagnosis and he’s prepared to be open with Andie about that struggle.
What are some of your favorite pastimes? Do you have any hobbies or collections?
With a husband, two kids, a day job, two puppies, and writing as my other job, I don’t have a lot of extra time, but reading is about as important to me as breathing. I love to read across a range of genres, but I’m always curious to see how others in romance are advancing the genre. I also love to devour great stories on the screen, so I get easily sucked into shows like Game of Thrones (and I was a huge fan of Breaking Bad). I love to spend time with my family doing just about anything. I’m not much of a collector, but if I collect anything (other than books) I guess it’s weird dogs. I like my animals about as quirky as I like my heroes, so my dogs (Hector and Agamemnon) are strange, hairless, pink-and-brown spotted creatures (Chinese Cresteds) who look like Dr. Seuss characters.
What has been your biggest adventure to date?
I’ve had quite a few adventures, but the one that has defined the course of my life more than anything was leaving Australia (Sydney) to go to grad school in the US. I’d never set foot on US soil before and I wasn’t intending to stay long-term, but I met and fell in love with my husband here and the rest is history. I can’t regret the eventual outcome but I do miss Australia and my family terribly.
How do you describe yourself? How would your family and friends describe you?
Wow, what a question! The first word that comes to mind is “tired” or “in need of coffee/wine (whichever applies at the time).” My daughter says “kind and loving” (Awww!) My best friend says “funny and loyal to a fault.”
What project are you working on next?
I’m working on the second book in the Visionaries series, which tells the story of Noah Oquist, Rhys’s SVP of Engineering at Zephyrus Energy. Noah returns to his hometown in Vermont to deal with some family crises and to try to jumpstart his flagging relationship with his long-distance fiancée, only to be dumped.
It turns out his fiancée is acting on the guidance of psychologist and advice columnist Cassandra Drummond, who has returned to town with something of a cult following. Cass and Noah shared what she’d thought was an inviolable bond back when Noah was a painfully shy kid and she moved to Temperance as a refugee from her elite Manhattan girls’ school, where she was bullied mercilessly for her Tourette’s-induced tics. But Noah sold her out and she’s never been able to forgive him.
When their connection sparks back to life, reawakening memories of idyllic days and stargazing nights, Noah realizes he might just be fighting for the wrong woman. If only he can get Cass to see things his way.
Thanks so much for having me at Romance Junkies! It’s been a lot of fun.
The First Word by Isley Robson
Title: The First Word
Author: Isley Robson
Release Date: June 1, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
To stay sane, Andie Tilly must keep her mind on her work. Her job as a pediatric occupational therapist is the perfect distraction from the unspeakable tragedy she experienced as a child. But when she meets alternative-energy magnate Rhys Griffiths and his autistic toddler, Will, she quickly realizes her heart will never be the same. Especially when her name becomes Will’s first word.
After accepting a position as a live-in therapist for Will, Andie steels herself against the appeal of the disconcertingly attractive—and attracted—Rhys. But their chemistry can no longer be denied, and their heated affair seems destined for happily ever after. A destiny Andie’s terrified to embrace.
When Andie’s guilt, Rhys’s awkwardness, and the abrupt appearance of an erratic ex threaten to dismantle their delicately blooming relationship, they must decide if love is worth the challenge. Can Andie and Rhys find their way back to each other? Or will the demons of the past simply prove too strong?
Isley RobsonAbout the Author
Isley Robson is a word lover who, when not reading, spends her time writing about colorful characters and the people who love them. After earning a degree from the University of Technology Sydney, she moved to the Boston area to continue her studies and eventually took a job in corporate communications. Through it all, she continued writing and has now won a variety of romantic-fiction awards, including the Orange Rose 2015, the Fire and Ice 2015, the Catherine 2014, the Laurie 2014, and Show Me the Spark 2013. Her debut novel, The First Word, is book one in The Visionaries series.
Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Isley Robson to HJ!
Spotlight&Giveaway
Hi Isley and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The First Word!
Please summarize the book for the readers here:
To stay sane, Andie Tilly must keep her mind on her work. Her job as a pediatric occupational therapist is the perfect distraction from the unspeakable tragedy she experienced as a child. But when she meets alternative-energy magnate Rhys Griffiths and his autistic toddler, Will, she quickly realizes her heart will never be the same. Especially when her name becomes Will’s first word.
After accepting a position as a live-in therapist for Will, Andie steels herself against the appeal of the disconcertingly attractive—and attracted—Rhys. But their chemistry can no longer be denied, and their heated affair seems destined for happily ever after. A destiny Andie’s terrified to embrace.
When Andie’s guilt, Rhys’s awkwardness, and the abrupt appearance of an erratic ex threaten to dismantle their delicately blooming relationship, they must decide if love is worth the challenge. Can Andie and Rhys find their way back to each other? Or will the demons of the past simply prove too strong?
Please share the opening lines of this book:
Andie Tilly peered at the walls of her cubicle through a gathering mist of tears. The colorful patchwork of photos, mementos, and cards from the families of the children on her case list rippled and blurred. I won’t cry. For more than two years, the bustling offices of Metrowest Early Intervention had been more home to her than her small, silent apartment. She never thought it would come to this—her job snatched unceremoniously from beneath her feet.
Please share a few Fun facts about this book…
I found the big, mock-Georgian mansion that Rhys lives in (chosen by his ex-wife) on realtor.com. The house represents the way his ex wanted to style him, a kind of pseudo-GQ, faux gentlemen’s club backdrop that isn’t true to who he is.
Will, Rhys’s autistic toddler son, is obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine—like many kids on the autism spectrum, and like my own son (who heavily inspired my depiction of Will) at that age.
The horses in the story, Ace and Shanti, are based on real-life horses who are probably right now dozing in their stalls on a Massachusetts farm.
What first attracts your hero to the heroine and vice versa?
What really attracts Rhys to Andie is not just her lovely features, but the honesty and immediacy of her responses and the way her face is an open book. With a difficult family life behind her, Andie has lived somewhat cut off from people, but she has maintained an ability to show her vulnerability. She is not hiding behind masks and Rhys is overwhelmed with relief to be in the presence of someone honest enough for him to be able to read.
Rhys is disarmingly good-looking and I won’t pretend that his blue-smoke gaze isn’t one of the first things that attracts Andie. But what really impresses her underneath it all is the generosity and frankness of his nature, which is apparent from the beginning. He is an unusual and compelling man, with his own Asperger’s-induced eccentricities, which have made him a bit of a legend in his industry. Most importantly, he is a man who knows how to love, and for someone with her history, that’s nothing to sneeze at.
Using just 5 words, how would you describe hero and heroine’s love affair?
Heartfelt. Electric. Quirky. Transformative. Forever.
What can you share about their first kiss…
Andie and Rhys’s first kiss happens under fairly adverse circumstances. He has been brooding over an embarrassing blunder he made and has been slinking around avoiding her for about a week (not an easy feat when she’s staying in his house) and berating himself for his tendency to screw up relationships. Andie is completely fed up and intent on bringing matters to a head. If Rhys doesn’t quit his odd disappearing act and front up to spend time with Will, she’s prepared to quit her job as Will’s occupational therapist. When she finally confronts him, the sparks fly!
If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would be absolutely crucial to include?
An outing Rhys and Will take to an ice cream shop (which should be a sure thing, right?) turns into a fiasco that ends with heartbreak, frustration, a stranger’s ruined Chanel bag, and a literal black eye (for Rhys). I can imagine the scene being shot with disorienting angles, jarring jump cuts, and intrusive sounds, to depict Rhys’s own sensory overload. It would have to be short, though, in order for viewers not to lose their minds when Will starts to melt down. The particular brand of heartache embodied in this scene will be familiar to anyone who has ever worried and agonized over a child on the autism spectrum.
What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned for 2017?
Right now, I’m working on the second book in the Visionaries series, coming in spring 2018, which tells the story of Noah Oquist, Rhys’s SVP of Engineering at Zephyrus Energy. Noah returns to his hometown in Vermont to deal with some family crises and to try to jumpstart his flagging relationship with his long-distance fiancée, only to be dumped. It turns out his fiancée is acting on the guidance of psychologist and advice columnist Cassandra Drummond, who has returned to town with something of a cult following. Noah and Cass once shared an idyllic childhood bond, but now she has every reason to despise him.
My goal was to depict the reality that those of us who are flawed, quirky and neurodiverse fall in love, too. After all, “normal” is a spectrum. Writing my way to a happily ever after for Rhys, Andie and Will was my way of writing toward hope. I hope you find their story inspiring!
Thanks for blogging at HJ!
Giveaway: Ebook: THE FIRST WORD by Isley Robson
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Meet the Author:
Isley Robson is a word lover who, when not reading, spends her time writing about colorful characters and the people who love them. After earning a degree from the University of Technology Sydney, she moved to the Boston area to continue her studies and eventually took a job in corporate communications. Through it all, she continued writing and has now won a variety of romantic-fiction awards, including the Orange Rose 2015, the Fire and Ice 2015, the Catherine 2014, the Laurie 2014, and Show Me the Spark 2013. Her debut novel, The First Word, is book one in The Visionaries series.
Robson lives in New England with her writer husband, two children, and two dogs. For more information, visit her at www.isleyrobson.com or on Twitter @isleyrobson.
Robson, Isley: THE FIRST WORD
Kirkus Reviews. (Apr. 1, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Robson, Isley THE FIRST WORD Montlake Romance (Adult Fiction) $12.95 4, 25 ISBN: 978-1-5039-4367-4
An emotional romance blossoms between a single father and the occupational therapist who cares for his special needs child.When alternative energy magnate Rhys Griffiths invites occupational therapist Andie Tilley to serve as live-in support for his toddler, Will, he has no idea what an effect her presence will have on both of their lives. With the exception of Andie's name--his first word--Will is nonverbal and highly sensitive, often spinning into inconsolable fits. Initially denying his son's autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, Rhys has become laser focused on finding ways to soothe Will and improve his social communication skills. At first he and Andie bond over their shared goals for Will, but they quickly develop an intense mutual sexual attraction. Recently divorced after a brief, tumultuous marriage to Will's mother, Rhys himself is a sensory seeker who has trouble reading social cues. Still, he knows early on that Andie is special. Andie, who survived an abusive childhood and carries guilt over the death of a younger sibling, is sure the affair will "run its course," a comment Rhys ruefully compares to "picking detritus from the kitchen drain and holding it between gloved fingers." Robson's debut offers a very skillful depiction of parenting and working with a toddler with autism. Although the plot is reminiscent of an earlier era of boss-nanny romances, Robson depicts Andie as a competent, self-respecting professional woman with legitimate needs for intimacy and love. Rhys' insecurities and awkwardness similarly humanize a "millionaire Ph.D. with the Elvis charisma, who has to beat women off with a stick every time he steps out in public." Robson raises the stakes--unnecessarily--with the reappearance of Rhys' increasingly unstable ex, who will stop at nothing to get her family back. Lovely writing and a sweet romance make for a promising debut.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Robson, Isley: THE FIRST WORD." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A487668656/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b79678ad. Accessed 26 Mar. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A487668656
THE FIRST WORD
Author(s):
Isley Robson
The portrayal of several non-neurotypical main characters makes for an interesting, timely and sensitive read. Rhys’ point of view is especially endearing, as an adult who has struggled with undiagnosed autism-spectrum symptoms. His empathy for his son and his own young self is moving. Andie has demons of her own, and working so closely with Will brings them to the surface. However, the chemistry between Andie and Rhys is just okay, the secondary characters are a bit flat and large chunks of backstory drop into the narrative rather jarringly. On the flip side, there is a ton of heart in this romance, and plenty to enjoy.
An old tragedy drives Andie to help kids, but also prevents her from getting too close to anyone, for fear of triggering guilt and loss. Her work as an occupational therapist with autistic kids ticks all those boxes, but a layoff at her clinic forces a change. Rhys, a wealthy entrepreneur and single father, panics at the thought of losing the one person who has been able to get through to his beloved child. He makes Andie an offer she can’t refuse: move in and provide full-time therapy for Will. Attraction feels inevitable, but there are several obstacles between them to defeat. (MONTLAKE, Jun., 336 pp., $12.95)
Reviewed by:
Nicola Onychuk
The First Word by Isley Robson – Book Review
January 9, 2018 Lindsay ChamberlinLeave a comment
To stay sane, Andie Tilly must keep her mind on her work. Her job as a pediatric occupational therapist is the perfect distraction from the unspeakable tragedy she experienced as a child. But when she meets alternative-energy magnate Rhys Griffiths and his autistic toddler, Will, she quickly realizes her heart will never be the same. Especially when her name becomes Will’s first word.
After accepting a position as a live-in therapist for Will, Andie steels herself against the appeal of the disconcertingly attractive—and attracted—Rhys. But their chemistry can no longer be denied, and their heated affair seems destined for happily ever after. A destiny Andie’s terrified to embrace.
When Andie’s guilt, Rhys’s awkwardness, and the abrupt appearance of an erratic ex threaten to dismantle their delicately blooming relationship, they must decide if love is worth the challenge. Can Andie and Rhys find their way back to each other? Or will the demons of the past simply prove too strong?
Wow. Just, wow.
I never anticipated enjoying this novel as much as I did. I received the name of this title as a Kindle First novel under the romance category and really debated with myself for a long while about whether I was going to watch it. Finally, the promo for the discounted novel was about to end, and I clicked the download button apprehensively. As I have said many times, I can’t stand to read or watch anything that may have a child in a situation in which they deserve better, but even though I felt for the father in novel, this child was perfect even with his diagnosis.
The toddler boy, Will, was diagnosed with autism, rocking his single father’s world. The “disability” leaves his father believing his child may never have a normal life, but it is the very thing that brings Andie, an occupational therapist, into their lives. It is as if Will could sense the hole Andie would fill in his and his father’s lives, so to me, the “disability” allowed the toddler the insight to see the purity in the woman teaching him to control his senses as they received the world in Technicolor and know she had to become a permanent fixture.
After reading the acknowledgements at the end of the novel, I understand now why the boy was depicted so perfectly as the author’s own child was diagnosed, and she went through the exact emotions imposed on her character. She instills the feelings of a parent sick with worry and love for their child so beautifully, I teared up more than a few times during my read.
Overall, I am immensely, overwhelming elated that I did click the button to download this novel. While the romance aspect of it was starkly apparent, the love of the father and child, and soon motherly figure, rang so wonderfully clear, reminding readers the multifaceted meaning of the word love.