What is the best thing that I love about my work?
I love that my work is all about working with people who love what they do.

What is my idea of perfect happiness?
A crisp Autumn day, working nonstop with people who love their work. Then a quiet walk, talking to one of the people I love. Then, fine food with a few of my favorites, and then a bubble bath in a claw-footed tub. Sleep. Repeat.

What is my greatest fear?
Encountering an alligator… but not in an ordinary way. Instead, in a shocking plot twist kind of way, like I’m dropping off a book at the library. Boom! It’s an alligator.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?
Fearing alligators.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire?
I am fascinated by the work of author Thomas Henricks, who is an expert in play.

What is my greatest extravagance?
Going to the hair salon more than necessary.

On what occasion would I lie?
I would lie to save someone’s life; or, perhaps, under extreme duress and after being provoked, to acquire the last bite of cheesecake,

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?
From time to time, not too often, I find myself unwittingly positioned to observe unimaginable depths of petty shallowness…ugly stuff.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work? Here and now. https://youtu.be/TzN925JU9TE

If I could, what would I change about myself? I would learn to appreciate the fine art of small talk without rolling my eyes inside my mind at myself when I try to participate in it.

What is my greatest achievement in work? Raising three kind-hearted kids.

Where would I most like to live? Here…or maybe in an apartment above a studio in a building I’d own on a busy city street.

What is my most treasured possession? Across the years, it is often an original painting of the Shoemaker’s elves.

What is my most marked characteristic? I think all the time.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city? Main Street in Kansas City at night.

What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city? I love Bolings and Lu Lu’s..

What books influenced my life and how? My favorite books are classic children’s books that influenced my work: Oh, The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss, The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, and The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein. Respectively, they offer vision, hope, and profound clarity.

Who are my favorite writers? Excluding the many fabulous writers I personally know….Tyler Joseph and Paul Simon, musically. Linda Ellerbee. Louise Fitzhugh. Phyllis Whitney. Barbara Park. Dennis Patrick. James Kirkwood. A.A. Milne. e.e.cummings.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Vienna by Billy Joel.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction? Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird. Ramona the Pest. Junie B. Jones.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? Gail Parent and Madelyn Pugh always caught my imagination as a child because I read their names on TV credits and I thought to myself: girls can to be professional writers no matter what people tell me.

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime? Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window

What role plays art in my life and work? Words and Imagery are top of mind always.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? My two partners in crime are my office mates Garrett and Melanie. Together we are the modern-day equivalent of the Rob, Buddy, and Sally creative team of classic TV’s Dick Van Dyke Show…we take turns being Sally.

Whom would I like to work with in 2019? A writer, an artist, a baker, a psychologist, a scholar.

Which people in my profession would i love to meet in 2019? A Netflix producer and a Hulu producer.

What project, in 2019, am I looking forward to work on? The Fun is Powerful Symposium at the National Museum of Toys/Miniatures.

Where can you see me or my work in 2019? My website is www.creativecenterofamerica.com

My books are at
https://www.amazon.com/Robin-Blakely/e/B001PL5XBO?ref_=dbs_p_ebk_r00_abau_000000

Or

https://www.creativecenterofamerica.com/robin

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? It means I love what I do so much that my work is a lifestyle not a job. https://www.creativecenterofamerica.com/robin

Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story? Rebecca Forster, Kathy Morelli, Danielle Robbins-Gregory. Tina Garrett. Sylvia Mendoza. Marcela Landres.

How can you contact me? Robin@CreativeCenterofAmerica.com

Here follows a message of Peter de Kuster, founder of the Heroine’s Journey 

The Heroine’s Journey is a private tour in story rich venues of world cities with Peter de Kuster, to rewrite the story you tell yourself about yourself and your creative work and in the process transform your life and business.

What is your Story?

“Your story is your life,” says Peter. As human beings, we continually tell ourselves stories — of success or failure; of power or victimhood; stories that endure for an hour, or a day, or an entire lifetime. We have stories about ourselves, our creative business, our customers ; about what we want and what we’re capable of achieving. Yet, while our stories profoundly affect how others see us and we see ourselves, too few of us even recognize that we’re telling stories, or what they are, or that we can change them — and, in turn, transform our very destinies.

Telling ourselves stories provides structure and direction as we navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and helps us interpret our goals and skills. Stories make sense of chaos; they organize our many divergent experiences into a coherent thread; they shape our entire reality. And far too many of our stories, says Peter, are dysfunctional, in need of serious editing. First, he asks you to answer the question, “In which areas of my life is it clear that I cannot achieve my goals with the story I’ve got?” He then shows you how to create new, reality-based stories that inspire you to action, and take you where you want to go both in your work and personal life.

Our capacity to tell stories is one of our profoundest gifts. Peter’s approach to creating deeply engaging stories will give you the tools to wield the power of storytelling and forever change your business and personal life.

You can choose from three options:

1. The Heroine’s Journey Short and Powerful.   This is a 8 hours – private story coaching,  one day, one – on – one with Peter de Kuster. The price is Euro 2500 excluding VAT including lunch and drinks. You can bring a maximum of three (business) partners to the private tour if you choose to.
2. The Heroine’s Journey Intensive.  This is a 16 hours – private story coaching,  two days one – on – one with Peter de Kuster. The price is 5000 excluding VAT including lunch and drinks. You can bring a maximum of three (business) partners to the private tour if you choose to.
3. The Heroine’s Journey Impact.  This is a 24 hours – private story coaching,  three days one – on – one with Peter de Kuster.  The price is 7500 excluding VAT including lunch and drinks. You can bring a maximum of three (business) partners to the private tour if you choose to.

Please note the private tours Short and Powerful can take place in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Berlin, Barcelona, Bruxelles, Florence, London, Malaga, Madrid, Milan, München, Paris, Rome, Rotterdam, Sevilla and Venice at the moment.

The private tours Intensive and the private tours Impact are offered in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Berlin, Barcelona, Bruxelles, Copenhagen, Florence, London, Los Angeles, Malaga, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan, München, New York, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Rotterdam, Sevilla, Sydney, Venice and Vienna.

You can book Peter by mailing him at peterdekuster@hotmail.nl 

Booking Information

• Once you have purchased a private tour you will be given information to get in touch and arrange a date and time for your private tour.
• Private tours will take place at any given day of the week.  The private tour will take place in a story rich city.
• Please note that once your appointment time and date have been confirmed, we have a forty-eight hour cancellation policy. Any cancellations less than 48 hours prior to an appointment, or any no-shows will be charged. Any requests to reschedule less than 48 hours prior to an appointment, cannot be guaranteed and the original appointment will be charged for other than in exceptional circumstances.