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Isn't he lovely? The third book in my award-winning Highland Spies series is now unleashed to the world. Yay! I'm so excited to bring you Laird Ian Munro and Lady Elizabeth Walsingham's story. Here's the back cover blurb: It's been three years since Lady Elizabeth Walsingham ended her childish crush on Laird Ian Munro, the fierce Highlander who scared everyone but her. She's a grown woman now, heading to London to find a proper English gentleman. But when the wild Highland laird walks through the door, she's that breathless youth all over again. Ian tries hard to avoid the young lass who's confounded him for years. But now that they're attending court, he must keep watch on her night and day. Danger is at every turn and advisors to the Crown are being murdered. Ian soon realizes the girl he's been protecting is a beautiful lady who needs his help, almost as much as he needs her. “Roberts’ newest Scots tale, filled with unique character...

I'm so excited! The final installment in the award-winning Highland Spies series will be released May 3. How about a little sneak peek? This is the first scene where Ian sees Elizabeth again.  A young woman stepped in front of the dais and cleared her throat. She had reddish-brown hair that hung in loose waves down her back. Her figure was slender and regal, and Ian could have easily drowned in her emerald eyes. But what captured his attention the most was the way the lass carried herself—confident, yet seemingly unaware of her true beauty. She wore a black gown with hanging sleeves, and the embroidered petticoat under her skirts was lined in gray. With the added reticella lace collar and cuffs dyed with yellow starch, she looked as though she should have been at the English court rather than in the Scottish Highlands. “Pardon me, Ruairi. Ravenna wanted me to tell you that we’re taking little Mary to the beach. We won’t be long. We’ll be in the garden until the mounts are...

Och, aye! There's naught like the sound of bagpipes in the morn! I love when the new year rolls around because that means I get to attend my favorite Scottish festivals all over again. And this year is no exception. I'll be signing all my books at the following locations: April 9, 2016 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m. ~ Pittsburgh Tartan Day/Bethel Presbyterian Church 2999 Bethel Church Road Bethel Park, PA 15102 September 24, 2016 8:00a.m.-6:00p.m. ~ Ligonier Highland Games 2574 U.S. Route 30 Ligonier, PA 15658 If you live close to the area or even want to make a day trip out of it, come out and enjoy the fun. There will be plenty of pipers, Highland dancers, children's activities, vendors, Scottish food, clans and men in kilts! If that's not incentive, I don't know what is. My handsome lad  What festivals do you enjoy in your hometown?

It was bound to happen sooner or later. I'm not stupid enough to believe that my sweet daughter, my first born, would stay a wee lassie forever. But the now fifteen-year-old has discovered the joys of being a teenager. And one of those new found discoveries is concerts. See the problem? No? Let me explain. She's too young to drive and needs chauffeured.  There's no way her parents are going to drop her off and let her attend these events alone. Don't get me wrong. I trust my daughter 100%. It's the other idiots that are a factor. Even though some of her friends like the music she listens to, they are not going to see the artists.  Well, gosh darn it. Who does that leave? You guessed it. Mom and Dad. Dad is everything country, and mom is everything rock 'n' roll. So guess who won that battle? Fortunately, the wee apple doesn't fall far from the tree. She loves music that I listen to and truth be told, I love the music she listens to. This i...

I was finally able to have a movie fest over the holidays in order to play catch up on some titles that I missed along the way. The Holiday (2006) with Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black was the cutest movie that I've seen in a while. I absolutely fell in love with the concept. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, two women with relationship and career issues swap houses in each other's countries (USA and England.) The ladies meet local guys and fall in love. Hey, I'm a romance writer so being fond of the love stories was a given. But what I found fascinating was the swap. There are times when life gets overwhelming, whether it's from the holidays, job, family or finances. Wouldn't it be nice to just say you've had enough and take off somewhere to recharge your battery? For me, two weeks in a cottage in the Scottish Highlands would be ideal. That's where I would want to regroup. According to mindbodygreen.com, here are 27...

What's your favorite season? Winter? Spring? Summer? Fall? How about football season? You know what I'm talking about. This is the time of year when husbands, sons, boyfriends, fathers, brothers and uncles control the TV remote 24/7. Although I'm a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan, I grow tired of watching every other NFL team under the sun. All I care about is my home team, and yes, I'll watch the Superbowl. There is something quite nice about rugged men battling on the field for sport. But I don't like when the games interfere with my shows like The Walking Dead. I never miss an episode. That's when my husband and I create our own sport. Even though we both have home field advantage, I've been very creative about hiding the remote. We battle over who gets the big TV. Most times I win because there's no way I'm watching Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon on a wee screen. Am I right? So until February 7, 2016, I'll cheer on my boys and give holi...

Rats. Are. Disgusting. I don't think many people would disagree with me. After my husband and I married 22 years ago, we rented a very small two bedroom home out in the middle of nowhere because that's what we could afford at the time. The house sat near a creek, and I thought how lovely. Sure. That was the dream until we found a handful of rats invading our territory. My first misconception was that rats were drawn to dirty, trashy houses. Well, my house was spotless, and we didn't have any trash around. But that didn't matter. The creek in the back of our house drew the rats. And boy did those critters love our basement. My husband would often find those buggers in the traps, and I can't lie. They were gray, ugly, and sometimes as big as cats. *shiver* Note: Thank God my husband grew up on a farm. My husband and I have come a long way since then. We have a house we call our own and have two kids and a mixed lab named Zoe. So imagine my surprise when...

Imagine my surprise when My Highland Spy   was the biggest winner of the night at the BTS Red Carpet Awards. Not only was this a great honor, but the ceremony was held in New Orleans, LA. Bonus! To add to the excitement, I was joined by my husband, son, daughter, sister and cousin. But my son truly made the night memorable. As usual, my wee lad (now 10) was kilted up for the event. When the BTS peeps called my name for Best Historical, I was escorted by a cover model onto the red carpet and then onto the stage. After I accepted the award, the cover model escorted me back to my seat where my waiting son was not happy. As soon as my butt hit the chair, my son leaned over and said, "I'm really mad. Why does that guy have to escort you? That's my place. I'm with you for every signing and event. This is our thing, not his. I'm walking you down the aisle if you win again." Even as I explained that the cover model was escorting everyone to the stage, that did...

Inspiration can come from the oddest of places, and we as authors love when that happens. Whether you're watching a movie or television show, reading a book or magazine, or gazing at pictures of mysterious places, ideas can spark your muse into overdrive. And that's when the creativity flows. One of my books ( To Wed a Wicked Highlander ) was inspired by the following tale of Kenneth MacKenzie.  Kenneth MacKenzie, known as Coinneach Odhar or the Brahan Seer, was a legendary teller of the future in the early 17th century…or so the story goes. Some people have regarded him as a fictional creation of folklorist Alexander MacKenzie, and others have questioned the existence of the Seer at all. Be that as it may, there is a long tradition of claims to be able to foretell the future and about folks who have the “second sight.”  But was the Brahan Seer fact or fiction?  Legend tells the tale that Coinneach fell asleep on a fairy mound (watch out for those ...

The wait is finally over! The second installment of my award-winning Highland Spies series is released tomorrow. I had so much fun with this one. For those of you who loved Declan and Liadan from my Bad Boys of the Highlands series ( X Marks the Scot ,) I think you're going to love the banter between Fagan and Grace in Kilts and Daggers . These two were destined to despise each other, especially since Fagan is a Scot and Grace is English. Here's a little snippet. Kilts, daggers, and men in the throes of battle—that’s what she tried to overlook while standing in the great hall of her brother-in-law’s home. Granted, the kilts and daggers belonged to the Sutherland clan, but she couldn’t understand why her sister hadn’t taken down those dreadful tapestries before her wedding day. Why would someone want to depict the ghastly scene of warriors on the battlefield, especially on such a celebratory occasion? That was not something she would permit on the day of her own ...

Photo courtesy of Starz Every week the clan and I tune in for Outlander, but believe it or not, Jamie and Claire are not the only reasons why we watch the show. Of course I love the brawny men in kilts. I think that's pretty much a given. But my family and I thoroughly enjoy the breathtaking views of the Scottish Highlands. Between the lochs and streams, heather-draped moors, formidable castles, and the Scottish Gaelic, what's not to love? Outlander definitely has the ability to take you away to another time and place. Duone Castle photo courtesy of New York Times bestselling author Grace Burrowes I've had an interest in Scottish Gaelic ever since I started writing my first novel. Learning the language is my way of giving back to the genre that I love to write. I've taken Gaelic classes, purchased books, and one day I'd love to do what Grace Burrowes is doing right now—taking Gaelic classes at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig college on the Isle of Skye. Lady Gr...

On Valentine's Day, Mr. Roberts was kind enough to give the whole family the gift that keeps on giving. The flu . Yep, the entire Roberts clan is down with the sickness. As I sit here curled up with an afghan, hot cup of tea, and box of tissues, I'm gazing out the window at the sub zero temperatures and wondering if this brutal torture will ever come to an end. I live in Pittsburgh, and gloomy winter days are what this time of year is all about. Yeah, well, I'm done with that. Finished. I've had enough. Bring on the sun and my 70 degree weather. My poor dog, Zoe, won't even brave the cold. Once we let her out the front door, she quickly does her business, then bolts around the back of the house to be let back in--all in less than one minute. lol Due to this lovely weather upon us, my kids haven't had school for the past two days. My husband is in construction and hasn't worked for the past two days. And guess what? On top of that and the flu, every...

Tales of standing stones and stone circles have been told since the beginning of time. In Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, the fictional Craig na Dun stone circle comes to life when Claire takes a magical voyage back through time to 18th century Scotland. I didn’t think that I needed to mention “into the arms of Jamie Fraser.”  But who really knows what secrets these mysterious stones hold? These magnificent sights can be found all over Scotland in places such as Aberdeenshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Orkney, the Western Isles, and the Scottish borders.     One of the most famous stone circles is the 5,000 year old Callanish Stones that are located on the Isle of Lewis. They’re situated above the waters of Loch Roag and have the hills of Great Bernera as a backdrop. The structure is thought to even pre-date the infamous Stonehenge. The Callanish Stones are visible for several miles and form a circle. In the center of the ring, there is a single stone...

Meet James Theodore. Wee Jamie is the newest bairn to our clan. He's my handsome nephew who was born on September 30, 2014. Can you believe all that hair? He was welcomed home by his big sister, Maisy. I was fortunate enough to spend a week at my sister's house to help her out after the baby was born. How quickly we forget how much it truly takes a village to care for a newborn. But don't get me wrong. There's nothing like the feeling of a new life curling up in your arms. Babies truly are a miracle. My sister and I had a great time, and I really enjoyed being able to help her out. I didn't get the chance to do that when my niece was born because my niece and my son are only seven months apart. The two of them are so funny because they fight like an old married couple one minute, and the next minute they're playing like BFF's. This was wee Jamie's first trip to Toys 'R Us. He makes for a fine pirate. Aargh! Our clan has a lot to be thankfu...

Does it seem like Christmas comes earlier and earlier every year, or is it just me? Last week, I opened my mail only to discover three Christmas magazines. I'm sorry, but the last time I checked Halloween's not even here yet. Gheez. And want to know the worst part? I scanned through all the magazines...looking for Christmas presents to buy! Although Christmas is one of my favorite times of year, I want to slow down the pace. I want to savor the changing leaves, the crisp autumn weather, and enjoy hay rides with the kids. I want to carve pumpkins, drink hot apple cider, and snuggle under a warm blanket in front of a bonfire. I want to take long walks in the woods and shuffle my feet in the fallen leaves. I think Mia wrote about high school Friday night football games the other day. Who can remember those times? *sigh* Simple pleasures. Take time to enjoy today because you never know what's waiting around the corner... Have you started your Christmas shopping y...

I'm here to celebrate the first book in my new Highland Spies series, My Highland Spy. Laird Ruairi Sutherland and Lady Ravenna Walsingham were so much fun to write. The Highland Spies series is based around four English sisters and their escapades in the Scottish Highlands. The eldest sister, Ravenna, is a spy for the Crown and her sisters don't know of her extracurricular activities. When Ravenna learns her next assignment is in the Scottish Highlands, she's far from pleased. She's spied on men who’ve conspired against the realm, uncovered a wealthy lord’s machinations in selling secrets to the French, discovered a traitor before he made his escape to the colonies, and now she's asked to masquerade as a governess for some Highland laird’s child. Ruairi is not thrilled to have an Englishwoman show up on his doorstep. The last he needs is the English under his roof teaching his son not to be Scottish. Here's a fun excerpt where Ruairi and Ravenna meet fo...

                                          Photo from Starz We all have it, and it's highly contagious. What is it? Outlander fever. I must confess that I've never read Diana Gabaldon's epic tale nor will I be reading it anytime soon. Now hear me out before you judge because there is a method to my madness. As a Scottish historical romance author, I pretty much make it a point not to read other Scottish authors because I don't want to be influenced by someone else's idea. I want my stories to be fresh and know that the crazy ideas I come up with are my own. But... There was no way on God's green earth that I was going to miss watching the magnificent Scottish countryside, and I sure as heck wasn't going to miss men in kilts speaking Gaelic! Och, I've watched, and I've DVR'd so that I can long for Scotland again and again. I've been watching Outlander  every week wit...

Rain, rain, go away. Seriously, go away. It wasn't too long ago that we were all complaining about the frigid temperatures and the white stuff that refused to leave. I swear that was the longest winter ever. Now we find ourselves blessed (or cursed) with humidity and rain that won't quit. Ugh. I'm a 70 degrees kind of girl. If you can adapt to that kind of weather, more power to you. I guess that's why I hide behind my computer and write...in the air conditioning. I hope you're enjoying your summer. I'm getting pretty excited about the upcoming release of My Highland Spy, the first in my new Highland Spies' series, and I hope you are too. I still sigh when I see that dreamy Jon Paul cover. Here's a little sneak peek of what you can expect in September. * * * London, England, 1609 She had made a deal with the devil, King James to be precise. Lady Ravenna Walsingham silently cursed her liege as she stood huddled against the darkened wall o...